What Is The Best Relief For Foot Pain?

When you’re looking for the best relief for foot pain, it’s important to first identify where and why your feet are hurting. We’ve covered one of the most common causes of foot pain, Plantar Fasciitis, here in the past. However, two less common but no less bothersome areas of discomfort are the ball of the foot and the side of the foot.

Pain At The Ball Of Your Foot

If you’ve ever had a burning pain in the ball of your foot or the feeling that you are walking with a pebble in your shoe, especially if the discomfort goes away when you take the weight off the foot, you may be experiencing ‘metatarsalgia’ (provided you don’t have a literal pebble in your shoe!) While the word sounds ominous, it boils down to inflammation in the tissue at the ball of your foot, the area between your arch and your toes (where the metatarsal bones meet the phalangeal bones of your toes.) This pain is rarely a sign of anything more than overuse, poorly fitted shoes, or a mild injury from impact during sporting activities, but it will sideline you none-the-less. Quickly finding the best relief for foot pain of this type is important.

Elevating the foot and icing the area of inflammation to relieve the swelling and pain is usually the first action to take. Adding padded or gel insoles to properly fitting footwear for comfort while you walk or stand is another. But massage of the metatarsal ligament can help to restore flexibility and bring relief to muscles deep within the spaces between the bones. It can be awkward to massage this area of your own feet, so a professional trained in the art of foot massage may be your next best resource for foot pain relief of this kind.

Pain Along The Side Of Your Foot

If you are experiencing pain along the side of your foot without any obvious bruising or abrasion, it could be Peroneal Tendonitis. Peroneal Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons that run from your calf muscle, along the sides of your feet, and around your heel. They form the support system for all the muscles and tiny bones in your feet, controlling motion and function, so you can see how they could be easily stressed by sports like running or other repetitive strain. This leads to microscopic tears in the tendon. The good news is that these tiny tears in the peroneal tendon will usually heal themselves, given enough time and rest.

The best relief for foot pain of this type is still rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Massage can help to get fluid and oxygen moving, loosening up the stiffness and easing pain. Depending on the severity of your injury, peroneal tendonitis can sometimes become more complicated, requiring steroidal and anti-inflammatory medications and complete immobilization to heal. So if your pain or swelling is severe, or if it does not respond to simple treatments within a few days, you should always consult a doctor.

Keeping Your Feet Pain-free

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes, and avoiding injury in the first place is best, if possible. Keeping the joints, muscles, and ligaments of your feet and ankles flexible and strong will reduce the likelihood of damage in strenuous situations. Daily stretches and exercises, like the ones you will find here, will give your feet the best chance to stay healthy, and may help with rehabilitation if you should incur an injury (always follow the advice of your doctor or physiotherapist.) And, of course, properly fitted and supportive footwear is a must.

Although these conditions may not be a great threat to your health overall, the impact on your daily life could still be significant. Naturally you will want to find the best relief for your foot pain as quickly as possible.

The massage specialists at Easy Cozy Wellness in Abbotsford, British Columbia, are trained in the gentle and effective art of foot massage. They know just how to work those tense and sore tendons, muscles, and joints to help you find the best relief for the foot pain you are experiencing. Book your appointment today and find your relief.

References:

1. Mayo Clinic: Metatarsalgis – Symptoms and Causes https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metatarsalgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354790#:~:text=Metatarsalgia%20(met%2Duh%2Dtahr,too%20tight%20or%20too%20loose
2. Physiopedia: Peroneal Tendinopathy https://www.physio-pedia.com/Peroneal_Tendinopathy