Over 51 million Americans used treadmills in 2009, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. Treadmills can benefit your cardiovascular health, lung capacity and overall fitness but may not be as kind to your feet, with frequent treadmill users often complaining of foot pain. Changing your shoes can be enough to cure the problem, but other underlying medical causes may require medical treatment.
Introduction
Your foot is a complex system of 26 bones and numerous muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which are susceptible to injury. Exercising on a treadmill creates increased stress on the feet, where the normal human walking rhythm of up to 7,200 steps per hour can increase significantly. A typical treadmill gait may also cause your foot to drag and flex more than it ordinarily would, a problem made worse if you use a treadmill incline.
Shoe Fit
Foot pain is frequently caused by wearing the wrong shoes on a treadmill, one reason the cost of surgery to correct foot problems from tight-fitting shoes is $2 billion a year, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. To combat the problem, consult a podiatrist or athletic shoe expert for a treadmill gait analysis. Shoe fit can be affected by such factors as whether your feet turn outward or inward, your body weight, if you have flat feet, wide feet or high arches and whether you walk or run on the treadmill.
Achilles Tendonitis
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body, connecting the calf muscle to the heel bone. It's a frequent target for inflammation or rupture due to overuse or wearing poor-fitting shoes, which lead to tenderness, pain and sometimes swelling in the heel. The primary treatment is to rest the foot for a few days and use painkillers, taping, stretching, ultrasound treatments and heel lifts or night splints.
Bone Spurs
Over-stressed feet can build extra bone over the heel into growths called spurs, which may cause pain and swelling in the heel area. Treatment involves resting the foot and using cold packs, anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and sometimes steroid injections. Stretching before treadmill use and using proper shoes or shoe inserts can help prevent the condition.
Neuroma
Intermetatarsal neuroma is one of the leading causes of foot pain from treadmill use. It's a thickening of nerve tissue in the ball of your foot that happens when two bones rub together and squeeze the nerve between them. Steroid injections are sometimes given, but adding custom orthotics to your athletic shoes may be all the treatment you need.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of foot pain from treadmill use, according to a panel of doctors interviewed in the December 2003 "Podiatry Today" magazine. The condition causes severe pain in the heel of the foot, often spreading into the ankle. Treatments include ice, stretching, orthotics, taping and night splints.
Sesamoiditis
Two small bones in your foot called sesamoids assist with weight bearing and tendon action. The tendons around them can become inflamed, a condition called sesamoiditis, with pain centered under the great toe on the ball of the foot. Painkillers, ice, taping the toe so that it bends slightly downward, and wearing felt cushioning pads are the usual therapy, although if pain persists, you may need to wear a removable short leg brace for several weeks.
References
- "Podiatry Today"; When Treadmill Running Causes Foot Pain; Nicholas Sol, DPM; December 2003
- American Academy of Sports Medicine: Running And Your Feet
- WeightWatchers; Achy Feet; William R. Sukala, MS, CS
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Sesamoiditis
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Tight Shoes and Foot Problems
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