causes for foot problems
The way you walk influences the alignment of your whole body.
Years of improper walking can lead to joint stress, pain, degeneration, spurs, fallen arches, and in the shorter term, can translate to compensation and resulting pain in your ankles, knees, hips and spine.
Most people will demonstrate a better foot strike when barefoot. This is because the nerves in your feet can feel the ground and adjust the way your soles hit the floor. Being barefoot on the beach isn’t just a daydream, it also takes more effort than walking on a hard surface and strengthens your foot and ankle while you burn more calories!
With shoes, people are more prone to developing bad walking habits such as dragging the feet, heavy impact steps and limiting natural movement in the joints of the foot. Most of us, however, need to wear shoes the majority of our waking hours. Watch the soles of your shoes, if the outer sole wears down unevenly it can be a strong clue that you need to adjust your foot strike/gait.
Foot pain can however, occur anywhere in your foot, including your heel, arch and toes. It’s usually a symptom of an injury or an underlying health condition. Identifying the cause can help you get the right treatment.
Because most of us use our feet every day, foot pain is common. But in addition to overuse, you can develop foot pain from sporting injuries, underlying health conditions and wearing shoes that don’t fit properly.
There are several ways to treat foot pain, but it’s important to identify the underlying cause first. Once you know why your foot hurts, you can find the right solution.