Trying to explain the pain of flat feet to outsiders is difficult, since flat feet are not typically considered an acute medical problem. If you live with a chronic pain, day-in and day-out, you know firsthand that the experience can be debilitating.
Here are tips for regulating your pain:
- Schedule an appointment with a Pennsylvania podiatrist as soon as possible. Simple fixes—such as a change in footwear, a stretching regimen, or even a simple surgery—may eliminate your chronic agony and inflammation for good.
- Improve your diet and exercise regimen. When you’re metabolically healthy, your immune system functions better, and your whole body tends to be more resilient to the trials and tribulations of the day. For instance, you might want to consider cutting back on sugary junk foods to lose weight and normalize your blood sugar. Whole-body stress relief can also have a profound influence on the health of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your feet and the rest of your body. When you’re under a lot of stress, you secrete a lot of a hormone called cortisol. In excess, cortisol can lead to problems like inflammation and the formation of painful muscle knots in the feet and elsewhere.
- Rest and get massage. Safe massage combined with lots of good rest—including a good night's sleep—not only can help your foot directly, but also it can also help your whole body recover from stress and trauma.
- Keep a “flat foot journal.” What are the triggers that cause you the most flat-foot related pain? One great way to find out is to keep a journal of your foot pain and to review that journal on a weekly basis to identify patterns. What activities in your life really stress your feet? What actions make them feel better? As you recognize your patterns better, you will learn to avoid “stresses” on your feet and do more of what makes them feel better.
For help, connect with the team here at Healthmark Foot & Ankle Associates. For a free consultation, call 610-565-3668 now.