What Can Be Done for Achy, Painful Feet?

The foot is one of the most complex structures of the human body. Packed with delicate ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones, it must be treated with care to ensure proper health and function.

Your feet take an average of 8,000 steps per day. They’re pretty useful appendages, so it’s important that we treat them well in return.

Here are some things you can do to help relieve achy, painful feet:

Massage

A good foot massage will make you go limp with relaxation. Our feet, which spend most of their days squished into tight shoes, rarely get enough circulation.

Short foot massages before bed help bring blood and warmth to the surface of your skin—improving the health of your foot and bringing nutrients to the surface of your skin.

Strengthening Exercises

For people who don’t have physically demanding jobs, it might come as a surprise when their feet ache at the end of the day. Without frequent exercise, your ankle and the bottom of your foot can lose strength and become weak.

There are simple foot and ankle exercises you can follow to strengthen these muscles:

Strengthen your ankles, toes, and calves by walking on the tips of your toes.
Stand on one leg with a bend in your knee and hold the position for 10 seconds before switching legs.
Scissor hops: jump straight up and switch your feet midair. Repeat this motion 10 times.

Stretching Exercises

These are like mini yoga classes for your feet. Stretching the tops and bottoms of your feet will relieve much of your pain. Here are some simple exercises:

Towel stretch: Sitting on the floor with your back against a wall, wrap a towel or cloth around the middle of one of your feet. Slowly pull back and feel the stretch through your arch.
Elastic band stretch: This exercise strengthens your foot through resistance. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Anchor one end of the elastic band on a chair and hook the other around your foot. Slowly pull back and release. Repeat this 10 times.

Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom salts can have amazing effects on your feet. A warm bath with Epsom salts can relax your muscles and tendons, reduce swelling, and increase circulation in your feet. Pour warm water into the tub or a large container and add a healthy dose of salts. Soak your feet and enjoy.

Pro Care Physiotherapy sometimes recommends physiotherapy products to our patients, however, only when necessary.

To find out if your feet can benefit from physiotherapy, speak to your therapist at your next appointment or contact Pro Care Physiotherapy today.