Most of us end up with sore, tired feet at the end of a hard day, or after lots of physical activity. But if you find that pain in your feet is restricting your mobility, affecting your mood, or impacting your foot health, it’s time to take action.
Here, we talk you through the various factors that could be causing your discomfort and discuss the many benefits of wearing OrthoSole’s innovative insoles for foot pain relief.
What does foot fatigue feel like, and what causes it?
Foot fatigue is characterised by sore, tired, heavy-feeling feet that can begin to cramp, causing pain, discomfort and, in some cases, a limp.
Lots of things can cause tired and aching feet. You may be at particular risk of developing foot fatigue if:
- You work on your feet all day, without taking adequate rest breaks
- You play sports
- You have dramatically increased your exercise routine in a short space of time
- You have suffered from a foot or ankle injury in the past
- You are overweight or obese
- You are pregnant
- You suffer from venous insufficiency, ie a lack of proper blood flow to the feet
- You suffer from metatarsalgia, or other structural issues in the feet such as bunions or hammertoes
- You wear ill-fitting or unsupportive footwear
Most of us will experience tired feet after being active, or after standing up for longer periods of time than usual. But if your routine hasn’t changed, and you’ve started to notice that your feet feel disproportionately sore and uncomfortable, it could be time to take steps to get rid of these unpleasant symptoms.
How can you treat foot fatigue?
For relief from tired, aching feet, you should try:
- Maintaining a healthy weight (or losing weight if necessary)
- Taking regular rest breaks throughout the day or night
- Elevating your feet for 15 to 20 minutes
- Soaking your feet in warm water, or wrapping them in a warm, wet towel
- Practicing strengthening exercises
- Wearing shoes that fit properly
- Wearing more supportive shoes
You will also benefit from wearing orthotic insoles in your everyday footwear.
What could be causing your foot pain?
It’s a great question – and one that may not have a straightforward answer! Foot pain can arise because of:
- Injury or to one or more of the muscles, joints or tendons in the foot
- Broken bones
- Stress fractures
- Flat feet / fallen arches
- Bunions
- Bursitis – otherwise referred to as joint inflammation
- Ingrown toenails
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendonitis
- Heel spurs
- Nerve damage
- Metatarsalgia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
A lack of support to the arches of your feet – and the metatarsal bones that run through them – could also be to blame. Unsupported arches will often cause pain and soreness in the ball of the foot.
How can you get rid of foot pain?
If you’re suffering from foot pain – and particularly pain in the balls of your feet – the sensible thing to do is to stop taking part in any physical activity, dose up on painkillers and let the affected area get some much-needed rest.
However, these measures are only practical in the short term. If you are suffering with chronic foot pain, you’ll need to explore different treatment methods in order to reduce your discomfort and get yourself fully mobile again.
Soaking your feet in hot water can help, as can certain stretches and strengthening exercises. For immediate and long-lasting results, however, we would always recommend investing in a pair of OrthoSole insoles, which are specifically designed to help eliminate foot pain simply through being worn on an everyday basis.
The great news is, any one of our insoles will assist you in your quest for pain-free feet! We’ve got orthotic insoles to suit virtually all kinds of footwear, from those that fit neatly into sturdy trainers and walking boots to inserts that slip discreetly into ballet pumps and high heels – and what’s more, most of these products can be cut down to ensure a perfect fit.
For maximum benefit we recommend purchasing our Max Cushion for your Trainers & Work Boots (shoes with that bit of room) and then our Thin Style for your tight fitting / formal shoes. No matter what shoes you wear making sure the support is there!
Check out our online shop and browse our full range of insoles for foot pain relief. If you’re not sure which insole will suit you best, you can take a look at the differences between each of these products here.
