Dr.Titiksha Farooqui
In today’s world, foot pain is something that may happen to anyone at any time, irrespective of the age and gender.We hardly take out any time to consider the pains & aches but should we be serious about something like a foot pain? The answer is “YES”.
Our feet bear our whole body & its different patterns every day.Sometimes they are maintained & sometimes not. Many of us have a notion that foot pain is a common thing & it will happen because of day to day routine or as we age.
But the fact is our feet undergoes a lot of wear & tear and if not assessed properly may cause a lot of foot problems, to name a few like plantar fasciitis, heel spur, ball of foot pain(metatarsalgia), ankle pain. People rely on massages & oral medications but that’s not the only solution. Because of daily wear & tear, improper footwear, our feet as well as body’s alignment is hampered & cause more pain like pain radiating to knees, to the back.
With our busy routines, we end up not doing any exercises for the foot-ankle muscles. Tightness in the leg muscles is one of the major causes of foot pain & other lower body pains. Hence, pre & post workout stretching is very important. Simply taking out 10-15 minutes daily to do these basic exercises can prevent foot pain.
QUICK EXERCISES FOR THE LEGS AND FEET
1. Calf stretch
Calf Stretch
2. Hamstring stretch
Hamstring stretch
3. Quadriceps stretch
4. Foot stretch
Foot Stretch
5. Towel crunches
Towel crunches
6. Tennis ball roll
Tennis ball roll
The type of footwear worn for a particular activity is also very important. Make sure your footwear is not too tight or loose, not too flat or heavy. There should be enough support for your foot arches and should feel and fit comfortable with respect to your foot shape, size (length, width and height) and stability. Footwear should not be too tight, should not be too flat, should not be too heavy & should be able to support our feet in all aspects like shape of the feet, their size & the movement.In India, people are not aware about this Biomechanics related non-invasive medical science known as Podiatry. Biomechanics is closely related to engineering and widely practiced by Podiatrists, Physicaland Sports Therapists, Osteopaths and Chiropractors in the western world while it is nascent to India.
It would be recommended that you visit a foot specialist in case of persistent foot pain, injury or deformity. It is said a “Stitch in time saves Nine” so it would be ideal if you could get a preventive foot check done,just as you would do with your eyes or a dental check. Continue your daily exercises & stretch regimen, so that muscles can also come to its normal length.
Our feet bear our whole body weight & hence it is important to take care of them if you want them to last a lifetime....
