No one likes foot pain. It is annoying and it keeps us from doing what we want to do. Even if it is not severe, there is still a nagging feeling that just won’t go away.
You may have noticed that the bottom of your foot hurts, especially when you put pressure on it. The more pressure, the worse it hurts. It may even hurt when you are standing or sitting still.
You may feel like there is a big and deep bruise on your heel or arch. It may feel worse in the morning, or after taking a few steps, or at the end of the day.
You do not have to be an athlete to experience this. In fact, anyone can experience pain in the bottoms of their feet, even if they are not particularly active. So what is causing it and how can you make the pain go away?
Here’s the Most Common Culprit
Your foot is a pretty complicated body part. It is made up of a lot of small bones and tissues that work together like a complex machine to give your feet the stability and structure you need to walk and stand.
There is one piece of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot that is essential for your foot to function. It is called the plantar fascia, and it is a ligament that connects the heel to the front part, or ball, of your foot. It also supports your arch.
The pain you experience may be due to damage to the plantar fascia in a condition known as plantar fasciitis.
Dealing with Plantar Fasciitis
As we’ve covered previously, there are a lot of potential causes of plantar fasciitis, ranging from wearing the wrong shoes to spending too much time on your feet, or injuring yourself while exercising or playing sports to having flat feet or high arches.
If your foot doctor has diagnosed plantar fasciitis, what can you do about it? You can take an NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce the swelling and deal with the pain. You can wear custom foot orthotic devices to help your foot function normally. Physical therapy also helps.
Foot surgery may be required in more serious cases. If your pain just will not go away and it starts to interfere with your quality of life, talk to your foot doctor. He or she can help you come up with a treatment plan that could include surgery and physical therapy.
If the bottom of your feet hurt, you do not have to put up with it – take action! Talk to your foot doctor today and get the problem taken care of ASAP.
