How Preventive Foot Care Can Relieve Metatarsalgia and Chronic Achilles Tendonitis

Posted on September 29, 2009. Filed under: foot heel pain | Tags: Achilles heel, achilles tendonitis, ball of foot pain, foot pain, heel pain, high heel insoles, high heel shoes, high heels, insoles, metatarsalgia, orthotics, tendinitis |

Stopping foot pain before it begins is the best way to prevent expensive surgeries later on. Even though many people ignore foot pain for long periods, pretending that the pain isn’t there or hoping it would fix itself are not appropriate solutions to the foot pain conundrum. With few changes to the way feet are treated, pain can be a thing of the past. Here are a few reasons why metatarsalgia occurs, how to treat foot problems such as Achilles tendonitis, and how minor changes, such as using insoles for high heels, can help.

Why Some Shoes Can Be the Source of Ball Of Foot Pain

High heels can cause an array of problems for feet. From the tight toe box (the area surrounding the front of the foot) to the angle of incline, these shoes can do quite a bit of internal damage to feet. First, when feet are squeezed into tight shoes, as happens in a high heeled shoe, the mid-foot and toe portions of the foot are forced into a tiny space where they cannot function properly. The tendons, muscles, and ligaments are strained into a tight area for what the foot needs. Over time, nerves become compressed, blood flow is decreased to areas of the foot (particularly in the toes) and painful foot issues develop.

How a Foot Massage Can Ease Achilles Tendonitis

Massage is a great method for soothing aching and sore feet. The mild movement of the muscle fibers increases blood flow to the area. Massage also delivers healing, oxygen-rich blood into the entire foot. Once muscles are relaxed, irritated nervous tissue can begin to stop firing so that pain can be relieved. If muscles and nerve endings are especially aggravated by a certain pair of shoes or an activity, swollen feet will occur. In that case, it is advised to use ice packs or frozen vegetables to decrease inflammation. Raising the feet above heart level during this time is also very effective in allowing the excess fluids to be taken away by the lymph system from the foot.

Achilles Tendonitis Can Be Eased with This Stretch

Achilles heel pain can really put a damper on anyone’s day. The constricton of this vital tendon can cause contracting in the lower leg. It can also be a major contributor to shrinking enough to rip during activity such as running. The way to help the tendon relax and elongate in order to lessen pain is to apply gentle stretching to the area. Seated on the floor, your legs should be extended straight out in front of you. Then, gently lean the upper body forward and the hamstring will begin to stretch out. Now that your leg muscles have increased blood flow, softly coax the feet towards the head to focus on the Achilles tendon. Hold the stretch for about 30-45 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat 5 times.

Ball Of Foot Pain Doesn’t Have to Be a Part of Your Life Anymore

In today’s world where shoes must look good (not feel good), lack of willingness to get rid of the painful shoes is unfortunate. However, with the use of high heel insoles, metatarsalgia can be effectively relieved. It is advisable to select shoes with low-profile heels and with a wider-profile heel such as a wedge to avoid future ball of foot pain. If feet are sore at day’s end, consider switching to flat dress shoes for 3 days out of the week to allow the feet some rest from tight shoes which will help feet heal in between wearing higher heels. Be sure to elongate foot muscles with a stretch and have them massaged to encourage optimal blood flow to the feet.

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