How to Meet the Runner’s Foot Care Needs: Treating Shin Splints and Plantar Fasciitis December 9, 2009
Whenever your feet feel fatigued, sore, and overused, the soreness frequently can turn intolerable. High-impact activities can exert extreme pressure on our feet, and cause problems with our lower body. Painful sores, bunions, and shin splints can make any slight movement a chore. Nonetheless, there are a few options that can help ease the pain and start the healing process when performed habitually. Below are three tips to help your feet heal so you can resume normal activities.
How to Overcome Blisters and Skin Challenges
Blisters are caused by the friction of tight shoes. Blisters are prone to emerge on any area of the feet, but the back of the heel is the most common site. Given that the skin is our barrier to the outside, and accountable for being our first defense against germs, a blister shouldn’t be burst on purpose . Most doctors advocate the use of moleskin as a suitable choice for protecting a blister to avoiding it from opening up. For a blister that has already popped, it is recommended to wash the area and apply an antibacterial substance. Then, maintain the area coated with a bandage.
How to Deal with Shin Pain Challenges
Another more serious foot problem that can occur is shin splints. This extremely painful condition is caused by excessive use of the lower leg by strenuous physical activities. The precise nature of the injury is not well understood, but they seem to be caused by injury to a tendon in the leg known as the posterior peroneal tendon. Given that this injury also seems to affect people who experience over-pronation of their feet (over-pronation is the inward rolling of the foot), special arch supports in the shoes, known as sports insoles are very useful.
Treatment for shin splints can include icing the area, staying off of it until it is healed, and encouraging no-impact activities such as using an elliptical or swimming. To stop the injury from returning, wear sports orthotics whenever engaging in high-impact sports.
Treating Heel Pain With Sport Orthotics
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most painful heel and foot issues to suffer from. Heel pain occurs when the plantar fascia is overly stretched thus becoming full, tender, and difficult to put pressure on. A suitable means to treat these conditions early on is with proper support of the foot arches and cushioning, which can be provided by using sports insoles. Gentle massage of the affected area as well as using ice and getting physical therapy are also helpful.
When the legs and feet become painful, your body is trying to send a clear message: it needs help. Sometimes, the mere act of resting from stressful activities for a short period and wearing sports insoles is enough. Nevertheless, when more critical injuries develop such as shin splints, a medical professional should enter the picture in order to properly diagnose the problem and provide adequate treatment.
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