6 Steps to Preventing Foot Pain

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This picture is taken from an event in Finland where ladies ran in high heels! Although this may look like lots of fun, running in high heels are not advised. This brings us to our first point of preventing foot pain.

• High heels. Ladies, I know you are not going to throw away your heels, but limit the time you spend wearing them. If you are going to standing for long periods of time, I don’t advise wearing heels. Also limit the heel to 2 inches. Look for friction points, which tend to be near the pinkie toe. Bandage the area with a band-aid prior to wearing the heels.

• Be aware that feet change with age. In prior posts on Facebook and blogs, I have discussed that around age 40, feet begin to change. The exact age will differ for everyone, but pay attention to how the feet are changing. The fat pads on the bottom of the feet, the cushioning part, deteriorate with age. Combat this by wearing sturdier shoes and measure feet every time shoes are purchased. Feet tend to get bigger with age because the tendons in the foot loosen.   

• Rethink running around barefoot. If you already have foot problems, don’t even think about walking around indoors or outdoors without shoes. The likelihood of stepping on debris or hitting your toe on the furniture increases. Chances of infection are also higher if walking around barefoot. One can pick up Athlete’s Foot or a fungal infection. So before going outdoors without shoes, think about where you are and what you may catch.   

• Cleanliness. Good hygiene is very important and feet should not be ignored. Pedicures at home or in a salon is a great way to keep feet healthy and clean. Even though there are over 250,000 sweat glands in the foot, moisturizing is a necessity to prevent cracking of the skin. If the skin cracks, the more likely it is to become infected.  

• Orthotics. Proper arch support helps to alleviate foot pain. Orthotics are designed to provide arch support by altering the angle at which the foot strikes the surface. But they don’t last forever. Every couple of years Dr. Vittori should inspect the orthotic and your foot for proper support.   

• Flip-flops. If you are planning on wearing flip-flops this summer, choose a sturdy flip-flop that is endorsed by the APMA. Ankles tend to roll due to no protection, support, or stability in flimsy flip-flops. 

Image by Vestman. (2011). License: Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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