Foot and Heel Pain
If your feet burn, swell, ache or otherwise bring you pain, your misery is in good company. "Nearly nine of every ten people have some kind of general foot pain," says Terry Spilken, D.P.M., a podiatrist and adjunct faculty member at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in New York City.
But here's how to stay one step ahead of general foot and heel pain not related to any specific ailment.
"Massage" with water. "The best treatment for general foot and heel pain is nightly soaks alternating between cold and hot water," says Dr. Spilken. "That means you should soak your feet in cold water for five minutes, then soak them in hot water for five minutes and repeat. This has a 'massaging' effect that invigorates feet by opening and closing blood vessels."
Another invigorator: Rub moisturizing lotion into your feet before going to sleep each night. "The lotion will actually make it easier to give your feet a good massage," says Dr. Spilken.
Get some heat on your feet. Ask your doctor about ointments made with capsaicin, the active natural ingredient in hot peppers. Strange as it seems, these products relieve the blaze caused by burning feet--particularly among those with diabetes. Applying the lotion will cause a burning sensation in a significant number of people, according to George Dailey, M.D., head of the Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California. This feeling is lessened, however, the more you use the ointment. In various studies, diabetics who treated their burning feet with capsaicin got greater improvement and were able to walk more easily than those not using the cream. "Since it's applied topically, patients can avoid a lot of the side effects they might get from an oral drug," says Dr. Dailey.
A "hot pepper" ointment called Zostrix is available over the counter but is sometimes hard to find. Ask your pharmacist to order it for you if necessary. But check with your doctor first, since this therapy isn't for everyone.
Lower your mileage with new shoes. Recreational walkers and runners need to temporarily lower their mileage when they get new athletic shoes to avoid much of the "break-in" pain. "Because of the advances in shoe development, modern athletic footwear usually doesn't lead to injury in normal use--but changing from one pair to another can," warns Angus McBryde, M.D., professor of orthopedics at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
Stretch out your calf. Stretching your heel cord or Achilles tendon at the back of your foot can reduce or relieve heel pain, says Gilbert Wright, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in Sacramento, California, and spokesman for the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. To stretch, stand three feet from a wall and place your hands on the wall. Lean toward the wall, bringing one leg forward and bending at the elbows. Your back leg should remain straight, with the heel on the floor, and you should feel a gentle stretch in the calf muscle. Then switch legs.
Buy shoes in the right shape. "Although we're brought up to think that shoe size is the most important aspect of a good fit, just as important--or even more so--is buying shoes with the right shape," says Houston podiatrist William Van Pelt, D.P.M., former president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. When you buy running or walking shoes, you can select a shape that fits the curve of the arch on the inner side of your foot. "Feet come in three basic shapes: curved, slightly curved and straight," says Dr. Van Pelt. Although there can be variations to the rule, generally those with high arches need a curved shoe, those with flat feet need a straight shoe, and those in between need a slight curve.