Foot Pain (cont.)
What follow-up care is needed after foot pain is treated?
There may be follow-up tests, scans, or X-rays. A plan for a gradual return to play should be started
once the pain is reduced and muscle strength and flexibility are restored.
How can foot pain be prevented?
To prevent injuries and pain, the following issues
should be addressed before starting an exercise routine. Are you in good health?
A general physical exam by a physician will help to evaluate your cardiovascular
function, the possibility of disease or any other general medical problems that
you may have. Before beginning activities, diseases such as gout, diabetes,
certain types of arthritis, and neuropathies should be treated.
Physicians with sports medicine, physical medicine, or orthopedic backgrounds
may also help you choose an appropriate activity. After choosing the sport or
activity that you wish to participate in, proper preparation will help minimize
the initial aches and pains of that activity. Proper technique in any activity
will help you how to properly and safely perform your chosen activity and avoid
injury. Good coaching can help you develop good biomechanics that can prevent
foot pain.
Shoes and socks appropriate to your activity will also be a deterrent
to foot pain. Proper fitting shoes and proper foot hygiene can prevent blisters,
ingrown toenails, corns, calluses, bunions, stress fractures, metatarsalgia,
Morton's neuroma, mallet toes, and plantar fasciitis. Poor fitting footwear can
make poor biomechanics worse, and good fitting footwear can help to minimize the
effect of bad biomechanics.
A plan for a gradual return to play should be
started once the pain is reduced and muscle strength and flexibility are
restored. Returning to participation and prevention of foot pain are governed by
the same factors as preparing for participation. Foot pain can be caused by
doing too much of a particular activity too fast. Ignoring pain can also lead to
further problems with the foot. Different types of foot pain can be seen at
different times of the season. Typically blisters, shin splints, and arch
injuries are seen at the beginning of season.
Stress-related problems are
related to the workloads. If the body is not prepared for an increase of
workload that is typical in early season and with "weekend warriors," acute shin
splints and tendonitis are very common, not to mention increased muscle
soreness.
A good workout program begins with a physical exam by a physician, then a
gradual, consistent workout plan. A good example of this type of program is a
running program that starts with a good warm up such as walking five to 10 minutes,
then alternating sets of jogging and walking. An example of such a program would
be 20 sets of jogging for two minutes, then walking one minute, with jogging time
increased until you can run continuously for 40 minutes. Good surfaces and
proper equipment used in your workout will lower the risk of foot pain.
Components of a good exercise program should include core strengthening,
muscle strengthening, and flexibility specific to the goals of the workout
program or the sport.
If pain is encountered when working out, try decreasing the intensity of the
workout. If the pain persists, then you should immediately stop and seek medical
advice to discover the source of the pain. Pushing through pain often results in
injury.
References: Arnheim, Daniel D., and William Prentice. Principles of Athletic
Training. 10th ed. McGraw Hill, 2000.
Daniels, Jack. Daniels' Running Formula.
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1998.
Last Editorial Review: 5/13/2008
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