Many Causes and Solutions to Foot Pain in Daily Life: Understanding and Managing Your Feet Scientifically

 

The miniature version of our body and the foot that moves nonstop throughout the day can significantly reduce our quality of life even in the slightest pain. 

Pain in the soles of the feet, such as "a stinging pain when I wake up and take my first steps in the morning," "a throbbing sensation in the soles of my feet when standing or walking for a long time," and "an unpleasant feeling when I take off my shoes," is a more common concern than you think.

 However, there are many different causes of pain, and it is important to understand them scientifically and find appropriate solutions to them, to dismiss them as mere fatigue. This article analyzes the common causes of pain in the soles of the feet from an easy approach to a progressive scientific and professional perspective, and suggests practical solutions.

1. Foot pain, why does it happen? - Easy to understand in everyday life

Excessive use is the most common cause of pain in the soles of the feet. On average, we walk 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, and our feet absorb 1.5 times the impact of our body weight. Numerous bones, ligaments, and muscles are intricately intertwined on the soles of the feet to relieve impact and balance the body. When used excessively, these structures become tired and cause pain.

 * Wrong Shoes: Shoes that do not fit your feet are the main culprit for the pain in the soles of your feet. In particular, shoes with hard soles or cushions, and shoes that put too much pressure on your feet, such as high heels, put pressure on your sole muscles and ligaments. Also, shoes that do not ventilate cause sweat and moisture, creating a good environment for athlete's foot to reproduce, and inflammation that can cause pain.

 * Sudden increase in activity: If you don't exercise normally and suddenly walk or run for a long time, your sole muscles can be surprised, causing inflammation, or minor damage to your plantar fascia.

 * Weight gain: Gaining weight increases the pressure on the soles of the feet. They often complain of foot pain, especially if they are overweight or obese.

As such, minor habits in daily life can be the seed of sole pain.

2. Common Causes of Pain - A Scientific Look Into

Now let's take a deeper look at the causes of the pain. The pain in the soles of the feet can be related to certain conditions beyond just muscle fatigue.

 * Plantar Fasciitis: It is a disease that causes inflammation of the plantar fascia that supports the arches of the soles of the feet. The plantar fascia is a thick, long fibrous tissue that starts with the heel bone and connects to the toe bone, and plays an important role in absorbing the shock of the soles of the feet and maintaining the arch when walking. Repeated micro-damage to this plantar fascia is characterized by inflammation, especially causing stabbing pain when waking up in the morning and taking the first step. This is because the plantar fascia, which had been contracted all night, suddenly stretches and feels like tearing.

 * Morton's Neuroma: It is a condition in which the hepatic nerves to the toes become thick under pressure. It usually occurs between the third and fourth toes, and is accompanied by numbness, burning pain, or a sharp sensation in the toes when walking. It is common in people who often wear shoes with high heels and narrow front cheeks.

 * Stress Fracture: A condition in which a bone is incontinent due to a microscopic impact repeatedly applied to the bone. It is common for people who suddenly start strenuous exercise or engage in activities such as running for a long time, such as running marathons, and the swelling and pain of the soles of the feet persist.

These conditions are not solved by simple rest, but require accurate diagnosis and treatment.

3. Scientific Approach to Pain Resolution - Effective Management

If you know the cause of the pain in the soles of your feet, you must now seek effective solutions that apply scientific principles.

 * Stretching and Strengthening Exercise: For plantar fasciitis, stretching, which stretches the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon, is very effective. Stretching the Achilles tendon by pulling one leg back with your hands on the wall, or rolling the golf ball with the soles of your feet while sitting in a chair, relaxes the plantar fascia and helps with blood circulation. Also, the exercise of picking up a towel with your toes strengthens the muscles of the soles of your feet, thereby reducing the burden on the plantar fascia.

 * Proper shoe selection: Choose shoes that have good cushioning and support the arch of the foot properly for pain relief. Running shoes or walk shoes with thick and soft soles that are shock-absorbing are a good choice. The insole with arch support allows you to keep the arch of the foot and disperse the pressure on the plantar fascia to reduce pain.

 * Weight Management: Obesity increases the burden on your feet exponentially. Maintaining proper weight is essential not only for foot health, but also for full-body health.

 * Cold compress: Ice compresses on the painful area help to calm inflammation and reduce swelling. It is recommended to cool compress for 10-15 minutes, especially on days when the pain is severe. This is the principle that induces vasoconstriction and suppresses the inflammatory response.

4. Professional diagnosis and treatment - expert assistance for persistent pain

If the above methods do not improve the pain, or if the pain gets worse, you must seek professional diagnosis and treatment. Orthopaedic or rehabilitation specialists identify the exact cause of the pain and establish a treatment plan according to the individual's condition.

 * Physiotherapy: Ultrasound therapy, electrical stimulation therapy, etc. can relieve inflammation in pain areas and promote blood circulation.

 * Injection Treatment: Steroid injections or PRP (autologous platelet-rich plasma) injections can be used to directly treat inflammation. In particular, PRP injections are treatments that utilize growth factors in platelets to help regenerate tissues.

 * Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT): A non-surgical treatment that stimulates shock waves in the pain area to regenerate damaged tissue and alleviate inflammation. This treatment works as a principle to induce angiogenesis to help repair damaged tissue and reduce pain-inducing substances.

* Surgical Treatment: Most foot pain improves with non-surgical treatment, but only a few may require surgery to resolve the chronic pain. For example, surgery to relieve tension by incising a portion of the plantar fascia.

The feet are the foundation of our bodies, and even the smallest pain should not be ignored. Through this article, I hope you will improve your understanding of sole pain and regain a healthy and vibrant daily life with constant care and professional help if necessary.