Painful Foot Problem

If you have a painful foot problem, your problem probably is not going to stop there...

Especially, considering how dependent our spine is upon the support it receives from the 52 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles in our feet!

With as many components as the foot has, it's no wonder that most people during their lifetime will have some real issues with their feet.

Because of this it's important to understand the impact that sore feet can have on the rest of your body. An impact I've experienced firsthand and am pretty passionate about sharing with others.

I have extreme arthritis in both feet and after years of experimentation finally figured out that this was one of the primary causes of much of my back pain, AND sore ankles and knees.

Consider this...

The entire weight of your body is being carried around by those 52 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments. With even the slightest foot injury we tend to compensate for the pain by shifting our weight elsewhere as we walk.

Well, the remaining bones and muscles in our body aren't accustomed to moving in this altered manner and they begin to react. Suddenly, we have what seems to be unexplained ankle pain, achiing knees and lower back pain, but they all relate back to the foot problem.

Remember, good posture starts from the ground up. Not only that, much of our sense of balance comes from our feet. Therefore, any instability felt in our feet, due to a painful foot problem, is going to transfer throughout the rest of our body, as well. You can see why it's so crucial to make sure your feet are kept in tip-top shape.

Foot Problems and Diagnosis

First off, a painful foot problem should be diagnosed by your health care provider, or a foot specialist.

When is it time for a doctor? If you have...

• unusual foot swelling
• foot numbness or tingling
• pain when walking or at rest
• had a recent accident or injury

...or any other symptoms that seem out of the ordinary.

Although a painful foot problem should get you to a doctor immediately, the most common foot pain complaint is simply sore and aching feet. An ailment which can have one or several causes...

• foot arthritis
• foot arch problem
• plantar fasciitis
• bunions
• circulation problem in the foot
• bone spur or other foot bone problem

Regardless of what you suspect may be the cause of your aches and soreness you should still get a foot problem diagnosis and carefully follow recommendations your are given to ensure that you don't incur further injury with increased pain!

Shoes for Foot Problems

Two of the most important things you can do to help prevent and alleviate foot problems are:

• keep your weight at an appropriate level
• wear suitable shoes

Companies such as Footsmart (one of my favorites)...

...provide not only great footwear for problem feet, but also foot devices and aids to help make walking easier.

What are suitable shoes? Shoes that have features which accommodate for your specific foot problems and needs.

Remember, what you wear on your feet is crucial not only to preventing and relieving foot pain, but for keeping your entire body aligned and in balance.

Thankfully, shoe manufacturers are becoming more responsive to the unique and unusual foot problems that people have and are designing shoes to fit their needs.

Even if you are a slave to fashion footwear, whether it be for a woman's foot or a man's foot, your are more likely to find a decent looking shoe for sore feet now than in years past.

A bit of my own painful foot problem story...

Due to the arthritis I have in my feet, I have difficulty finding shoes that I can walk in for any period of time. In my never ending quest, I ran across Earth Shoes.

Earth Shoe incorporates a Negative Heel Technology, which means that rather than your weight resting forward on your foot it is shifted back, toward your heel. Since my srthritis problem is primarily in the front of my feet this technology sounded as though it might work well for me, which indeed it has.

However, my biggest surprise came when I walked in them for the first time. What I had not realized, prior to my purchase, was the tremendous impact that the "Negative Heel Technology" would have on my spine. Traditional shoes often pitch your body forward, not allowing for optimal alignment of the spine; whereas, Earth Shoes allow for a more neutral position.

I can't rave enough about the positive impact this has had on my back problems! The impact was great enough that I purchased a second pair. I now have a pair of Earth sneakers and a pair of funky boots.

That said, Earth Shoes are not the solution for everyone with painful foot problems, but the good news is you have lots of choices and should be able to find something suited to your needs. In my case...

To provide the best relief, I continually rotate shoes. At a podiatrist's suggestion, I purchased a pair of New Balance sneakers - ones made specifically for over pronators, like myself. Pronation, along with years of high heeled shoes made foot arthritis inevitable.

Enough about my feet...

However, I wanted to share this story to demonstrate how solving your own painful foot problems could have a direct impact on relieving aches and pains you have elsewhere. I also wanted to give other foot pain and back pain sufferers some hope.

Good comfortable shoes are probably going to be one of your best defenses against losing the ability to get around on your feet. And, keep in mind, proper footwear is not meant just for treating and relieving pain, it should also be used to prevent foot problems when walking or doing other exercise.

You must pamper feet! They are meant to be treated with special care so that they can last a lifetime!