Foot and ankle pain can impact people of any life stage and at any time of the day or night, and can result in severe pain, lost sleep, exercising less, and difficulty completing work tasks and/or daily activities.
If you’re suffering from foot or ankle pain, it’s may be that it’s from one of these very common (and painful!) conditions. A trip to your doctor is always a good idea, and you may like to try one of the simple remedies as well!
Plantar Fasciitis
In this painful condition the sufferer will experience stabbing pain on the heel or the bottom of the mid-foot, usually at its worst in the morning. Common amongst runners, it is also common with those who are overweight and/or wear insufficiently supportive footwear.
Try these simple home therapies:
- Rest & cold therapy with a soft padded ice pack
- Braces and supports for comfortable relief
Heel Spurs
Related to Plantar Fasciitis, a heel spur is a small, protruding calcium deposit on the underside of the heel bone. Common amongst athletes and those on their feet all day, it often appears as a stabbing pain that later in the day becomes a dull ache.
Talk to your doctor or try an off the shelf remedy:
Gout
Gout usually affects the base of the big toe and results in pain, swelling and redness. It can affect other joints such as the elbow or knee too. Of course, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and if your pain is extreme you should consult your General Practitioner.
If your pain is on the milder side, try cold therapy for 20 minutes 2-3 times a day (but only if you don’t have nerve or sensory issues in the affected joint).
- Polar Ice soft fleecy cold therapy packs
- Alternating hot and cold therapy may be helpful
Bunions
Bunions, also know as hallux valgus, are a bony bump on the big toe joint on the inner edge of the foot. Bunions develop over time and the deformity of the toe can make it painful to walk or even wear footwear.
Try one of these supports. They will help with discomfort, and help to reduce the tendency to further bunion formation. Thay can be used pre- or post-operative.
- Bunion correction system – Hallux Valgus soft support
- Bunion correction system – Hallux Valgus night splint
Arthritis
Arthritis in the foot and ankle can result from “wear-and-tear” Osteoarthritis as well as the autoimmune related Rheumatoid Arthritis. Symptoms include: difficulty and pain when moving the join, tenderness to touch, and increased pain and/or swelling after periods of inactivity.
Many people find compression and warmth to help their arthritis. There is also the new, advanced vibration therapy which very effectively controls pain.
