Items filtered by date: January 2024

As we age complications from arthritis can begin to affect mobility and make foot pain a daily occurrence. Arthritic foot care is essential to preserving mobility and will help you get back to doing what you love without the burden of pain. By incorporating natural remedies, strengthening exercises, and pain-relieving medications you will feel some relief. 

In this blog, our team of podiatrists shares several tips that can be added to your daily routine to help relieve pain. If you feel that the pain caused by arthritis is affecting your mobility and quality of life consult with your local podiatrist. Your pain is manageable, take the steps to preserve and preserve your mobility today.  

Strengthening Exercises

A simple way to manage your pain is through incorporating daily exercise to help strengthen and stretch the muscles around your joints. Increasing flexibility and strengthening the area is proven to reduce pain throughout the body, we suggest the following exercises. 

• Toe salutes: This exercise targets the muscles in your feet, while sitting in a chair, lift your big toe and hold for a few seconds, relax your toe, and repeat. 
• Toe splaying: To target the muscles in your foot, spread your toes apart as far as you can comfortably, then relax your toes and repeat the motion. 
• Calf stretch: This exercise will target the calf, heel, and bottom of the foot. Simply face a wall with your feet flat on the floor, then place your hands on the wall and lean into the stretch. 

For other forms of exercise, low-impact workouts are key to preserving mobility and preventing pain for individuals with arthritis. Walking, biking, swimming, and water aerobics are all great low-impact exercises allowing you to protect your joints and get your body moving. Experts suggest incorporating around 150 minutes of exercise into your week, if that seems too challenging try starting with ten minutes per day. 

Natural Remedies

Several natural and alternative remedies also help manage arthritis and foot pain. These remedies are most helpful in relieving stiffness, increase flexibility, and decrease swelling in the affected area. To relieve foot and heel pain we recommend using the following remedies. 

• Cold therapy: This will help to target pain in your joints, swelling, and inflammation, and will also work to numb the area. Use a cold compress or an ice pack and apply it to the skin. 
• Heat therapy: Heat will work to loosen your joints and release stiffness. We suggest taking a warm shower or bath in the morning and using a heating pad or electric blanket at night. 
• Acupuncture: This Chinese medical treatment uses thin needles to redirect and relieve pain in the body. Consult with a licensed practitioner to learn more about how the practice and see if acupuncture is right for you. 

All three of these practices are known to help manage arthritis pain and preserve mobility. As always be sure to consult with your doctor before starting any treatments to your arthritic foot care routine. 

Pain medication 

Several over-the-counter and prescribed pain medications help to manage the symptoms of arthritis and promote mobility. We have put together a list of medications that may help to alleviate your pain. As always, consult your podiatrist or healthcare provider before starting any new medications. 

• For pain and inflammation relief Doctors suggest Aleve (Naproxen), Motrin or Advil (Ibuprofen), and Aspirin.
• Topical creams and ointments will provide localized pain relief.
• Steroid injections can help to provide joint pain relief. 
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), are a class of medications used to treat forms of arthritis. 

Preserve Your Mobility With Self-Care

Staying vigilant and protecting your joints from further damage is one of the most important parts of arthritic foot care. There are several techniques and additions to your daily routine to maintain and increase your mobility. Lifestyle changes and self-care are an important part of pain management, try out the following tips. 

• Protect your joints with assistive devices and vigilance during daily activities to reduce pain and prevent further joint damage. 
• Custom foot orthotics can be used to redistribute weight and release pressure on the more sensitive areas of your feet. Orthotic inserts are known to decrease foot pain that has spread to other areas of the body. 
• Professional or self-massage will also work to reduce pain caused by arthritis. The key to an effective massage in this case is moderate pressure to relax the muscles surrounding the affected joints. 
• An effective foot care routine can help with the pain of arthritis as well. As always, remember to clean your feet daily, trim your toenails, fully dry, and moisturize your feet. Proper maintenance and care can make all the difference. 

The Importance of Arthritic Foot Care

Arthritis affects your mobility, causing pain and stiffness in your joints, altering your daily life. With a strong and effective care routine, you can manage pain caused by arthritis and preserve mobility in your joints. Arthritis can be treated with strengthening exercises, natural remedies, pain medication, and lifestyle changes. 

The key is to work with your healthcare provider to see what methods are best for you and to stay on top of your routine. The podiatrists at Physicians Footcare are here to help manage your arthritis pain and preserve your mobility. We have several offices throughout Georgia and South Carolina, schedule an appointment with us to get back on your feet today. 

Do you experience pain or swelling in your arches, heels, or ankles after a long day? This pain is likely due to the flattening of your foot’s arch, which is a condition known as flat foot syndrome. This common condition occurs when the mechanics of the foot are worn down and the arch begins to fall. If left untreated the condition may worsen, leading to foot pain and possibly impairing your mobility. 

In this blog, the expert podiatrists at Physicians Footcare will explain the causes, symptoms, treatments, and preventative measures associated with the condition. Follow along as we explore the ins and outs of flat feet and help you regain comfort and control in your life. 

What Causes Flat Feet?

Flat feet are a condition in which you have little to no arch in your feet. This means when you stand there is no gap between the bottom inner part of your foot and the floor. This condition can be caused by overuse, genetics, injury, and weak arches. The condition is fairly common and affects about 26% of the worldwide population according to the National Library of Medicine. 

Flat feet are more common in children and adolescents, but the condition can develop in adults with age. In most cases, the condition is due to the underdevelopment or complete absence of an arch in the foot, meaning most children with the condition often have flat feet before their foot muscles are fully developed. Through the aging process, the muscles and tendons supporting the foot arch weaken which is when the condition can develop in adults — years of wear and tear cause the arch to fall, leading to the flattening of the foot. 

In more serious cases, injury can force the arch to fall suddenly. These injuries are common in the running community especially, as the arch weakens with overuse. Injuries in the foot can also lead to conditions such as arthritis and other forms of foot pain, which can also be a result of pre-existing conditions. For example, the following conditions may increase the risk of flat feet and other foot-related conditions. 

• Obesity
• Injury to the foot or ankle
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Age
• Diabetes

Symptoms to Look Out For

The most common symptom of flat feet is the absence of an arch, which generally should not lead to any form of pain or discomfort. However, with continued stress and strain, painful symptoms are likely to arise.  Flat-footed individuals may experience pain or swelling in the arch and heel area while walking, running, or standing. This pain may begin to affect other areas of the body such as the back, hips, and knees if left untreated. 

It is important to contact your podiatrist or primary care physician if you begin to experience foot pain. The condition is in most cases painless but, if you feel that it is limiting your mobility it is important to find a support solution. 

Effective Solutions For Flat Feet 

If your flat feet are not causing you pain or discomfort, there is no need to seek treatment. For minor pain in your heel or arch, you may treat it with rest, or pain relieving medication. If the condition worsens it is time to make an appointment with your podiatrist, who may suggest the following remedies. 

Arch Support

Orthotic insoles are an effective solution for foot pain and are increasingly useful when the source of pain is due to the falling of your foot's arch. Custom-designed orthotics are molded to the unique shape of your foot and are most effective in this situation. Generic arch support insoles are also available and are known to relieve flat foot pain. 

Stretching and Strengthening Exercises

The Achilles tendon runs through the arch of the foot and plays a key role in providing the foot with structure and support, and stretching and strengthening this tendon will help alleviate foot pain. By incorporating the following exercises into your daily routine you can strengthen the arch and structure of your feet.

• Arch lifts
• Heel raises
• Toe lifts
• Calf stretch 

Physical Therapy

If you believe that your flat foot pain is due to or was worsened by injury, more serious treatment such as physical therapy may be most beneficial. Flat foot injuries are often due to overuse and weakening of the arch and are commonly seen with runners and other athletes. A physical therapist can provide more intensive training to rebuild and strengthen the musculature in the foot. 

Prevention Tips

The most effective solution to pain caused by flat feet is to prevent the condition from getting to the point of discomfort. To prevent general foot pain and strengthen your arch, wear supportive foot care that prioritizes arch support. Along with footwear, avoid activities that cause excessive stress and strain on your feet. Switch to low-impact workouts such as swimming or cycling if your foot pain is aggravated by exercise. 

Understanding Your Symptoms and Solutions

This condition is very common and should not be painful or bring discomfort into your everyday life. The key to combating flat foot symptoms is prioritizing daily arch support, strengthening exercises, and sticking to your podiatrist’s treatment plan. If you are experiencing pain related to flat feet, consult a podiatrist or foot pain specialist. At Physicians Footcare we provide personalized guidance and treatment options to help alleviate your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Don’t let the pain of flat feet hold you back, contact us today and get back on your feet.