As more people are going for walks because of stay-at-home COVID-19 orders, walking is one way they are keeping fit. It’s a low-impact exercise and enables you to get some fresh air.
But as we continue to increase our walking distances and speed at which we walk, we can develop foot pain. Foot pain is annoying, and there are times when the pain can be excruciating.
You may have rested your foot for a few days, but it still hurts to walk. Although you want to start walking again, you need to make sure there are no underlying issues.
With these tips, you’ll be able to understand what the problem is and how you can get back to walking safely. Read on to learn more about why you’re experiencing foot pain.
What Causes Foot Pain?
A multitude of things can cause foot pain. Because we use our feet every day, it can be hard to figure out what is causing our discomfort.
Foot pain can be in any part of your foot. That includes:
- The soles of your feet
- Your arches
- Your toes
- The heel
Other activities you do besides walking, such as jogging or sprinting, can also cause your foot to hurt. Also, be careful of the shoes that you’re wearing. Shoes that don’t fit properly or put a lot of pressure on your toes can also increase foot pain.
Although you may experience slight walking pain, it’s essential to see a podiatrist or My Foot Doctor and rule out other potential factors. They can give you more information regarding your foot pain.
Certain medical conditions can also be a reason why it hurts to walk. Let’s take a look at common foot-related injuries.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is a foot condition that most people will deal with in their lifetime. You’ll generally feel pain in the bottom of your foot or at your heel.
It can be painful to walk as you take your first steps in the morning. Each step feels like you’re walking on pins and needles. Staying off your feet, icing the painful areas, and stretching are great ways to ease the pain.
Tendonitis
When one of your tendons becomes inflamed, you will develop tendonitis. You’ll feel pain in your heel and Achilles area, and it may go up to your hamstrings. Doing specific physical therapy exercises and using a doctor’s prescribed medication can help combat the inflammation.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition in which the cushioning that surrounds the bones in your feet starts to deteriorate. It can lead to you feeling stiffness in your toes, ankles, and heels of your feet.
Rheumatoid arthritis, another form of arthritis, is an autoimmune disorder that breaks down the cartilage and tendons in your feet. Because of this, you’ll develop intense pain and swelling in your feet.
A great way to deal with arthritis is by staying off your feet as much as possible. Icing and physical therapy exercises can help too.
If your arthritis is severe, your doctor may recommend that you wear a brace or insoles. They will help relieve pressure on your feet when you’re walking.
Bunions
Bunions develop when your foot structure changes. Your big toe starts tilting towards your other toes, causing a bump to form on the inside of your big toe.
Your foot may get swollen, red, or feel like it’s burning because of the bunion. Treating bunions is as simple as changing the shoes you wear or and applying ice to the area.
Other Reasons It Hurts to Walk
Sometimes pain in other parts of our body can lead to us developing foot pain. Besides medical conditions, here are a few different reasons why you may be experiencing pain while walking.
Sore Hamstrings
Hamstring soreness can cause foot pain due to your hamstrings being overused. Make sure that you complete a slight warm-up before you exercise. Warm-ups help reduce the amount of soreness you’ll feel after you finish working out.
Use the RICE method to treat sore hamstrings. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Doing this can help alleviate painful hamstrings and pain in your foot. Also, make sure that you stretch after working out to help your muscles recover faster.
Knee Problems
Our knees take a lot of impact on a daily basis. Going for daily walks can cause knee issues to flare up that we did not know about.
A great tip for taking care of your knee problems is to stagger your walks. So if you’re walking every day, change it to every other day. This can lower the amount of impact your knees take. It’ll also give your feet a chance to recover.
Icing your knees and taking pain medication can help with knee pain. Also, wearing the right shoes can reduce the amount of pain you feel in your knees and feet.
Tight IT Band
Not many people know what the IT band is or what it does. The IT band, or iliotibial band, is connective tissue on the side of your thigh. It runs from your thigh bone to your shinbone.
IT band tightness usually develops if you’re walking long distances consistently or you haven’t warmed up properly before exercise. It leads to swelling and pain around your hips.
You can treat IT band soreness by stretching all of your leg muscles before and after exercise. Foam rollers are another great tool that you can use to relieve IT band soreness. They are great for loosening up knots that may have formed in your IT band.
Start Taking Care of Your Foot Pain
When it hurts to walk, it can discourage us from wanting to do activities. If we know the root of our foot pain and treat it properly, we can get back to exercising and other things we love to do. Take care of your foot pain to prevent long-term injuries from developing.
If you’ve found this article helpful, read some of our other blog posts that may be of interest to you.
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