“Ouch!”
If you've started saying that when you hop out of bed each morning, or after you've been walking or standing for a few minutes, you need help.
Foot pain is very common and stems from anything from wearing the wrong kind of shoe, to genetics, posture, gait and weight gain. All of these factors can combine to making it painful to walk or stand.
We've pulled together our best advice.
Plantar fasciitis
The latest research says that as many as one in 10 Australians suffer from plantar fasciitis.
The condition—pain on the underside of your foot, in the arch or heel—happens when your 'plantar fascia' ligament tightens or tears. The plantar fascia is a band of ligament which runs under your foot from the heel to the toes. It flexes each time you step to support your arch.
The most common symptom is pain where the arch meets the heel, especially first thing in the morning. The ligament tightens while you sleep, so you feel pain when you use your feet in the morning.
Ways to treat your condition include:
- stretching the foot and calf regularly
- rolling the foot over a tennis ball or a water bottle
- arch supports and orthotics, and wearing shoes that properly support the heel and arch
- physical therapy, to stretch and exercise foot and leg muscles, can alleviate pain
- steroid shots to reduce inflammation.
Bunions and hammertoe
Despite the common belief that these conditions are caused by high heels and toe crowding, bunions and hammertoe are actually caused by genetics. Tight-fitting or high-heeled shoes are just more likely to exacerbate the genetic predisposition of bone growth and alignment.
Bunions are bony bumps that form on the joints of the big toe. The skin over bunions is often red and sore. Some over-the-counter remedies, like cushions and pads, can reduce that soreness. Surgery to smooth and realign the joint will cure the problem.
Hammertoe is the abnormal bending in the middle joint of a toe, which causes the joint to bend and protrude upward and the end of the toe to point downward. Stretches, cushioning and surgery can all relieve or cure hammertoe.
Fungal nails
Toenail fungus affects an estimated 17 per cent of adults in Australia.
The longer you have toenail fungus, the worse your condition becomes. Your nails escalate from slight yellowing and spots, and can become thick, brittle and distorted.
Laser therapy is the best treatment for fungal nails. We surveyed our patients and we have successfully cured about 75 per cent of the people we have treated. These results match the figures provided by the company that manufactured our laser equipment.
Ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenails — when the edges and corners of nails grow into the skin, causing pain and infection — have two main causes: improper trimming of the toenail and overcrowding inside shoes.
Toenails should be trimmed straight across, not following the curve of the nail bed.
Foot soaks and over-the-counter pain relievers can ease pain.
If you have diabetes, chronic ingrown toenails, or you believe the wound is infected, you should see a podiatrist to remove the ingrown nail and treat the condition.
