Common Foot Injuries and How to Treat Them

Category: Podiatry Wentworth Falls

Your feet are more susceptible to injury than you might think; after all, they bear the weight of your entire body. Your treatment will depend on the cause, but it’s best to see a Podiatrist if your foot pain is severe and persists after several days. Let’s look at some of the most common types of foot injuries and their treatments so you can get back to your workouts pain-free ASAP!

  1. Plantar Fasciitis
    If you have heel pain that is worse in the morning and gradually improves throughout the day, you might have plantar fasciitis.
    How To Treat: Stretch your lower legs daily and ice your heel for ten minutes a day. Try to stay off your feet and avoid the activity you suspect is to blame for a while until your heel starts to heal!
  2. Stress Fracture
    A stress fracture might not sound as serious as a broken bone, but it can be just as painful. Stress fractures are technically tiny “cracks” in the bone and are common in the feet. The affected area usually feels painful and tender.
    How To Treat: For the most part, stress fractures heal on their own with rest. In some cases, wearing a medical boot fitted by your Podiatrist may be necessary to avoid putting weight on the affected foot.
  3. Bunions
    A bunion is a large bump on the joint at the base of your big toe. The skin over the bunion will sometimes be sore or red.
    How To Treat: Finding shoes that are comfortable and do not chafe up against the bunion is critical. If the bunion feels inflamed, apply ice to it. You can be fitted with custom orthotics fitted by your Podiatrist that help distribute pressure more evenly, reducing your foot pain. Unless your bunion causes severe pain, surgery is usually not recommended.
  4. Achilles Tendinitis
    Achilles Tendinitis occurs when this tendon becomes inflamed, causing a mild ache near the back of your lower leg just above your heel. If you’re experiencing pain in this area, you could have Achilles Tendinitis.
    How to Treat: Usually, you can treat Achilles tendonitis at home with ice and rest. More serious cases are best seen by your Podiatrist.

Stretch of the Month

Sitting Peroneal Stretch

  • Sit in a chair with one ankle resting on the other knee.
  • With your hands, point the foot (plantarflex) and turn the sole of the foot upwards (invert).
  • Hold for between 20 and 30 seconds.

 

Towards wellness

Is Stress Getting in the Way of Achieving your Health Goals?

Modern living and stress seem to go hand in hand, and it may be no surprise to you that the effects of stress can have a significant impact on mental wellbeing. Nevertheless, you may not know that the effects of stress can impact other body systems potentially hindering the achievement of health goals such as losing weight or improving digestive function, so it is important to understand what the stress response is and how it could affect you.

So there you have it, if you are suffering from foot pain, or someone you know is please don’t hesitate to give the clinic a call on Faulconbridge(02) 4751-7583, Katoomba(02) 4782-6169, Lithgow(02) 6352-5685 or Blaxland(02) 4702 0221 and we can help you out so you can keep your feet happy!

The team at Blue Mountains Podiatry