All-Natural Treatment for Chronic Foot Pain

Do you suffer from foot pain? Foot pain can have many possible origins – it could be caused by some kind of trauma like a sports injury, from jumping, hitting your foot on something or maybe you simply dropped something on your foot. Or it could be something that has worn down the foot over time – excessive running, walking on uneven surfaces, or walking with shoes that don’t give proper support.

Below are some suggestions for things that you can do to help relieve your foot pain:

1. Use orthotics – Orthotics are inserts that are placed in your shoes that support the arch of your foot. There is a wide price range for orthotics from cheap ones that just cost a few dollars to custom-made orthotics which can cost hundreds of dollars. You basically get what you pay for, so get as much orthotic as you can afford.

2. Stretch the plantar fascia for heel pain – The most common cause of heel pain is an inflamed plantar fascia which is the band of tissue on the bottom of the foot connecting the heel bone to the toes. To stretch this tissue start by placing your hands on a wall. Put one foot back further than the other (staggered) behind you. Leaning forward toward the wall, a stretch is applied to the back foot.  The stretch should be felt in the back of the lower leg (calf) and the bottom of that foot as well. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Now switch feet and repeat. Do this 2x/day.

3. Apply ice – Many find considerable relief from applying ice to the feet. Ice works to reduce inflammation and swelling thus providing relief. Apply ice for 15 minutes every 2-3 hours as needed.

4. Take NSAIDs – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen can be taken to reduce swelling in the feet. By reducing the swelling, more space is created in the foot, thus taking pressure off of the nerves.

5. Chiropractic adjustments – Adjustments are able to normalize imbalances in many joints of the body including the feet and thus release pressure off nerves causing foot pain. Typically more than one adjustment is necessary to stabilize foot pain, but many find considerable relief after the first adjustment alone.

If you or someone you know is suffering from foot pain, we may

be able to help you at Health Quest through chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture or family medicine. Call us today to schedule an evaluation at 573-635-9655.

Yours in health,

Dr. Ted Tang D.C.