Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Why You May Need High Heel Insoles if you Suffer from Ball Of Foot Pain

Preventing foot pain as soon as it begins is the ideal way to not have painful foot surgeries later. Though many people disregard foot pain for long periods, pretending that the pain isn't serious or wishing it would fix itself are not appropriate responses to the foot pain dilemma. With few changes to the way feet are treated, pain can be a thing of the past. Here are a few reasons why ball of foot pain occurs, how to cure foot conditions such as Achilles tendonitis, and how minor changes, for instance using high heel insoles, can help.

Stretching Can Ease Foot Pain in More Than One Way

Achilles heel pain can really put a sour note in anyone's day. The constricton of this vital tendon can cause cramping in the lower leg. It can also be a major contributor to shrinking enough to rip during activity such as running. The way to help the tendon relax and elongate in order to lessen pain is to administer gentle stretching to the area. Seated on the floor, your legs should be extended straight out in front of you. Then, slowly lean the upper body forward and the hamstring will begin to stretch out. Now that the legs are warmed up, gently coax the feet towards the head to target the Achilles tendon. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, rest for one minute, and repeat 5 times.

How Massage, Stretching and Insoles For High Heel Shoes Work Together

In today's world where fashion rules, lack of willingness to get rid of the painful shoes is unfortunate. However, with the use of orthotics for high heels, ball of foot pain 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 metatarsalgia. If feet are sore at day's end, consider adjusting to flat dress shoes for 3 days out of the week to allow the feet some rest from tight shoes which will help feet heal in between wearing higher heels. Be sure to massage and stretch to encourage maximum blood flow to the feet.

Foot Mechanics: The Evils of High-Heeled Shoes and Metatarsalgia

Shoes with high heels can create much trouble for your feet. From the very narrow toe box (the region around the front of the foot) to the angle of incline, these shoes can permanently damage muscles, nerves, and bones in the feet. First, when feet are squeezed into tight shoes, as it does in a high heeled shoe, the mid-foot and toe regions are forced into a tiny space where they cannot function properly. The ligaments, tendons and muscles are strained into a tight area for what the foot needs. Over time, nerves become compressed, blood flow is restricted to areas of the foot (particularly in the toes) and painful foot issues develop.

How a Foot Massage Can Ease Achilles Heel Tendonitis

Massage is a great method for soothing aching and sore feet. The gentle movement of the muscle fibers increases blood flow to the area. Massage also brings healing, oxygen-rich blood into the entire foot. Once muscles are relaxed, irritated nervous tissue can begin to decrease how often they are firing and pain relief results. If nerve endings and muscles are especially aggravated by a certain pair of shoes or an activity, swollen feet will occur. In that case, it is recommended to apply ice for 15 minutes at a time to relieve the swelling. Elevating the feet higher than the heart during this time is also very effective in allowing the extra fluids to be carried away from the foot.

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