Who Can Get Foot Pain?
Being a distance runner, I have had my fair share of experience with overuse conditions. It does not matter whether you are a runner or someone who walks everywhere for transportation, or even an office worker, repetitive movements over time can result in overuse injuries. There has been many trends in the minimal footwear approach. I have also had my fair share of personal experience in trying to adapt to minimal footwear. Each time I did try to transition into this type of footwear, I did encounter more aches and pains and even injuries. I seemed to always stay healthy longer in supportive footwear, orthotics and staying on top of injury prevention drills.
My Approach
My approach to care emphasizes a well rounded approach that addresses foot injury as well as the mechanism of action which causes fatigue to the foot as well. A foot injury requires treating and rehabilitating the foot in a progressive manner that also encompasses restoring other imbalances above the foot. The underlying mechanism of action of injury should be addressed or else the foot injury may return if the original reason why it happened was not corrected.
How Orthotics Help
Orthotics, with proper footwear can also help deflect forces on the foot and provide support for injury prevention. Orthotics helped me keep injuries at bay. Each time I slowly tried to ween into a less supportive footwear, I would be on the brink of injury, notice more tissue strain or even injury. I liked the feeling of fast but I ended up feeling beat up.
Bottom of the foot pain and general foot pain is sometimes stubborn to treat as the foot takes the load of the body. It is very difficult to rest the tissues . Supporting an injured foot helps to let the injured area rest and reduce load to heal. I always promote a well rounded strengthening and stretching program combined with support and to encourage people to solely not rely on support .
For my assessments I like to perform a full lower extremity biomechanical to locate individual weaknesses. Foot pain can result from weakness above the foot which can result in adding more stresses placed upon the foot. When the foot is injured I approach treating the area by a progressive treatment plan as well as addressing the other imbalances that may have lead to more foot strain. I do find the use of orthotics to help reduce these forces placed upon the foot and provide support.
