Avoiding Chronic Achilles Tendonitis and Metatarsalgia in 3 Easy Steps

Preventing foot pain in advance is the ideal way to avoid costly and painful surgical procedures down the road.  Despite the fact that many people pay no attention to foot pain for a long time, pretending that the pain isn’t there or wishing it would resolve itself are inappropriate reactions to the foot pain conundrum. There are plenty of ways to help your feet stay strong, healthy, and pain-free with only a few changes to your daily routine. Here are a few reasons why metatarsalgia occurs, how to treat foot problems such as Achilles heel pain, and how minor changes, like using insoles for high heels, can help.

High Heels Can Spell Trouble for Feet

Shoes with high heels can create much trouble for your feet. From the very narrow toe box (the part enclosing the front of the foot) to the angle of incline, this type of footwear can cause permanent damage to feet. First, when feet and toes are forced into a narrow shoe, as occurs in a high heeled shoe, the mid-foot and toe portions of the foot are forced into an unnatural position. The tendons, muscles, and ligaments are strained into a narrow space that doesn’t allow the foot to function properly. Over time, nerves become squashed, blood flow is lessened to areas of the foot (particularly in the toes) and problems with the feet occur.

Massage Can Aid Feet in More Than One Way

Foot pain and soreness can be rubbed away with a gentle massage. The mild movement of the muscle fibers opens up the flow of blood to the region. Massage also carries healing, oxygen-rich blood into the affected foot. Once muscles are relaxed, aggravated nerves 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 useful in allowing the surplus fluids to be drained from the foot.

How Foot Stretching Can Help Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles heel pain can really put a damper on anyone’s day. The constricton of this vital tendon can cause cramping in the lower leg. It can also be a major contributor to a tear or rip during activity. The way to help the tendon relax and elongate in order to lessen pain is to administer gentle stretching to the region. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in a seated position. Then, slowly lean the upper body forward and feel the stretch on the hamstring. Now that the legs are warmed up, gently coax the feet towards the head to focus on the Achilles tendon. Hold the stretch for about half a minute, rest for one minute, and repeat 5 times.

How Massage, Stretching and High Heel Insoles Work Together

In today’s high-fashion world, lack of willingness to give up these types of shoes is regrettable. However, with the use of high heel insoles, metatarsalgia can be relieved with consistent wear. It is advisable to wear shoes with heels no higher than 2″ 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 adjusting to flat dress shoes for a few days per week to allow the feet some time for increased blood flow which will help feet heal in between wearing higher heels. Be sure to massage and stretch to encourage maximum blood flow to the feet.

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