Every day, we spend hours standing on our feet. They go unnoticed until we feel pain. Prolonged standing, walking, and running for miles put your feet to the test. However, there are several ways to relieve the foot pain from standing all day long. Let us explore the causes of aching feet and what you can do to soothe the pain.
Reasons Why Your Feet Hurt
Perhaps you have asked yourself how you can stop your feet from hurting. The answer to your question lies in the underlying health issues associated with your feet. Consulting a foot care professional at myfoothurts.ca can help address painful foot conditions.
Below are some of the most common causes of aching and sore feet:
- Foot Structure (flat, high-arched, or arthritic feet)
- Foot Injury (past or present injury to the foot, like fracture, strain, or sprain)
- Obesity (excess pounds can strain your foot joints, ligaments and muscles)
- Overuse (standing, walking, or running for hours, especially on hard surfaces)
- Pregnancy (hormonal changes loosen the ligaments of your feet)
- Improper Footwear (tight, narrow, or loose-fitting footwear, as well as incorrect shoe size)
Tips to Ease Aching Feet After Prolonged Standing
While sore feet can be annoying, there are various ways you can ease the pain at home. You can even combine these foot care tips to rejuvenate your tired feet.
1. Warm Foot Bath
Arguably, soaking your feet in warm water is the simplest yet the best home remedy to soothe sore and tired feet due to prolonged standing. For an extra relaxing and rejuvenating effect, you can add ground Epsom salts to a tub of warm water. Simply mix a tablespoon or 2 of Epsom salt with a gallon of warm water. Soak your tired feet for about 10 minutes and elevate them after the foot bath for further relief. On the other hand, a cooler bath provides relief to hot, tired, or swollen feet.
2. Stretch Your Tired Feet
Stretching exercises can also help relieve sore feet. When stretching your feet, target affected areas, such as your toes, heels, or the entire foot. These stretching exercises can effectively prevent cramps and increase flexibility:
- Flex your toes, point them forward, and then bend them for a few moments. Repeat this process 10 times.
- Warm your feet by sitting down and stretching out your legs. Wiggle your toes. Direct your toes toward you and away from you. Rotate your ankles in circles, first to the right, and then to the left.
- Keep on loosening up your feet by shifting your balance from your heels to your toes. Stand up and alternate lifting the front and back of your feet off the ground.
3. RICE (Resting, Icing, Compression, and Elevation)
Physicians often recommend this process to alleviate the soreness of your feet. Take a few moments to give your feet a rest. Use an ice pack or cold compress and apply it to the affected area to ease the pain and swelling. Use compression socks or a bandage to support the sore region and minimize the swelling. However, avoid wrapping your foot too tightly. Elevate or raise your feet above the heart level to relieve inflammation and swelling.
4. Wear Arch Support or Custom Foot Orthotics
Most of the effort our foot and leg muscles put in while standing is to keep our body steady. When an orthotic provides good support for the feet, they are aligned correctly, and the muscles don’t need to work too much. This should make your legs feel less tired and sore by the end of the day.
5. Foot Massage
You can gently rub your feet to ease discomfort and boost blood flow. Find a comfy chair, sit down, and start rubbing and pressing the soles of your feet. Gently stretch and flex your toes while massaging them. Using lotion or oil can make your skin smoother for a better foot rub. There are also things like foot rollers, which are textured cylinders, that might assist with foot massage when you roll them on the ground using your feet. To ensure total relief, seek the services of a professional offering massage therapy in Owen Sound.
6. Wear Proper Footwear
Sturdy, dependable footwear is crucial for folks with jobs that involve a lot of standing. These shoes need to fit just right in terms of length and width, and they should offer some extra space for your feet, in case they expand throughout the day. It is better to go for shoes that are a bit stiff rather than super flexible, and they should have a slightly higher heel compared to the front part. Additionally, some people choose the lightest shoes they can find, but lighter shoes often provide less support, which is not great for your feet.
7. Seek Chiropractic Care
A chiropractor in Waterloo uses natural methods to help with pain. This can involve fixing how you stand, showing you how to evenly spread your weight on both feet and giving you exercises to do at home. You might get the quickest and best relief by seeing both a regular doctor and a chiropractor.
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