According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the following medical conditions can cause you to experience foot pain: arthritis (especially osteoarthritis), diabetes, fracture, obesity and pregnancy, as well as some medications. Other possible causes of foot pain include ill-fitting shoes and trauma. Performing foot therapy exercises may help reduce your foot pain and optimize your foot function.
Ankle Stretch
A typical feature built in to most conventional running shoes is toe spring, which is touted by shoe manufacturers to assist your forward motion but may, in fact, lead to foot problems. Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist in Portland, Ore., suggests that your shoe's toe spring holds your toes in an unnatural position and may contribute to tight toe extensor muscles (the muscles and tendons that run from your lower leg to your toes, crossing your ankle).
Stretch your toe extensor muscles by removing your footwear and sitting on a stool, positioning one foot behind you (with the top of your foot touching the floor) and dropping your involved knee toward the floor. With your toes bent and curled underneath your foot, slowly push your ankle forward and down to generate a mild stretch on your toe extensor muscles. You should feel a gentle stretch in the front of your lower leg, ankle and foot. Hold your stretch for one minute before switching to your other foot. You can perform this exercise once every hour during the day while you're at work.
Short Foot
According to Dr. Craig Liebenson, a Los Angeles--based chiropractor, author and public speaker, the short foot exercise is a sensory-motor training activity intended to help you increase proprioceptive outflow, which is important for maintaining your balance or rehabilitating your foot following injury.
Perform the short foot exercise by standing and placing your feet about shoulder-width apart. Shift your weight slightly to the outer edge of your involved foot. Keeping your toes straight and splayed as wide as possible, gradually increase the amount of space under the sole of your foot, especially under your medial longitudinal arch (the arch that runs from your heel to the base of your big toe, on the inside edge of your foot). As you contract the muscles on the bottom of your foot to create your "short foot," resist the temptation to curl your toes. To help you envision the proper execution of this exercise, imagine yourself picking up a ball using only the muscles on the bottom of your foot, not your toes.
Walking Barefoot
Dr. McClanahan, a proponent of minimalist footwear, believes that conventional footwear includes a quartet of problematic design features that cause numerous common foot problems, including heel lift, tapering toe boxes, toe spring and stiff soles. Over time, your consistent use of shoes featuring these design elements can negatively impact your foot health, causing deformations and pain or discomfort.
Walking barefoot on grass or other surfaces where there is minimal danger of encountering hazards can help you rehabilitate your feet by straightening your toes and returning them to their normal anatomical position and strengthening your intrinsic foot muscles. Consider using a toe-spacing product to speed up your foot rehabilitation, and shop for shoes that allow your foot to function like a bare foot inside your shoe. Perform gentle barefoot walking on grass daily for optimal results.
