Does your feet hurt? this is the cause and how to treat it

Disorders of the movement or musculoskeletal system include aches and pains that can be felt in the bones, muscles, and joints. The foot is one part of the body that can be affected, including sore feet. What is the real cause of foot pain, then how can you deal with it?

Signs and symptoms of pain in the soles of the feet and other areas of the feet

Pain in the leg area can have different symptoms and signs. Usually, the symptoms that appear differ based on the location.

When the soles of your feet hurt, you may feel uncomfortable to the point of limited activity. Not only that, pain in the foot area may also come from the fingers, heel, ankle, and calf.

Some of the common symptoms that you may feel when experiencing pain in the soles of the feet, heels, fingers, and calves are:

• Pain or pain that is really strong.
• Difficulty moving the sole of the foot up or down.
• There is swelling, redness, or heat around the tendon.
• Pain that gets worse after activity.
• Pain that gets worse with time.

If you feel any of the symptoms above, treat it immediately with home treatment for foot pain. However, if it doesn't get better afterwards, it's better to get your condition checked by a doctor immediately.

Causes of foot and foot pain, ranging from trivial to severe

Generally, pain in the feet or soles of the feet occurs due to a disturbance in the movement system, which is a health problem that disturbs the skeletal system or the human muscular system. Usually, the cause of pain in the sole of the foot and other parts of the foot arises from improper use of the foot.

One of them may be caused by wearing shoes that are not the right size. The reason is, a shoe size that fits your feet will provide the right support to prevent irritation of the joints and skin in the foot area. However, besides that, there are many other conditions that can cause various parts of the leg area to feel painful and sore.

In most cases, when the feet, including the soles of the feet, heels, toes, and calves, feel pain, the cause can be a variety of conditions, ranging from mild to serious. Here are some causes of foot pain that you should be aware of:

1. Too long standing wearing high heels

Standing too long, for example for 10 hours or more a day makes the soles of your feet overwork. Especially if you use high heels.

Under normal circumstances, the foot will act like a spring which functions to absorb shock due to heavy loads and become a bone bearing. As a result of wearing high heels, all the weight of the load will move forward, resting only on the small and fragile toes of the feet.

The higher your heels, the greater the effect. This is what causes the soles of your feet to your heels often hurt.

2. Injury or sprain

Sprains or muscle injuries in the ankles can cause sore feet. This condition occurs due to ligament bonds, which are the tendons that bind the bones to stretch.

Of course, the stretch is hard enough to twist and tear the ligament. Usually, circular movements to sudden changes in position when you exercise, fall, or have an accident can cause sprains.

3. Bunion

A bunion is an enlargement of the bone or tissue around the joint of the base of the big toe. If the bunion grows, the big toe can press on the other toe. This condition can cause swelling and pain if you wear shoes.

Although genetic factors or congenital defects may play a role in the appearance of bunions, in most cases, this condition is always associated with poor shoe wear. Especially if you often wear shoes that are too narrow.

4. Bursitis

Bursitis is a joint inflammation that attacks the bursae, which is a part of the joint in the form of a fluid-filled bag that functions as a cushion for the bones, tendons and muscles around the joint. Bursitis occurs when there is inflammation of the bursae.

Bursitis can occur on the shoulders, elbows, and also the waist. However, you can also experience it on the knees, heels, and the base of the big toe causing pain. Therefore, if you have bursitis, the area on the soles of your feet, thumbs and heels may also hurt.

5 . Hammertoe

Source: Readers Digest

Normally, your toes will tread straight and parallel. But when you experience hammertoe, the middle joint of your toes bends or bends, not tread straight. This condition occurs due to an imbalance in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that are supposed to keep the toes straight.

Usually, this condition is caused by wearing shoes that don't fit properly, which pushes the toes into a bent position. If the toes are bent and left in this position for a long time, the muscles that straighten the toes can no longer be stretched.

Over time, the toe muscles can no longer be straightened even when you are not wearing your shoes. Usually, hammertoe is also accompanied by appearances corn aka calluses over the arch, which adds to the discomfort when you walk.

6. Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis or joint inflammation. This condition occurs when the cartilage that functions as a cushion at the end of the bone is damaged.

Since osteoarthritis is calcification of the joints, this condition can occur at various joint locations in the body. Often osteoarthritis occurs in the joints of the hands, knees, hips, and spine. However, this condition can also be felt in the joints of the feet, causing pain.

7. Morton's neuroma

Morton's neuroma is one of the causes of foot pain that is often experienced by women. This condition affects the heel of the foot and the area between the middle finger and ring toe. If you have a morton neuroma, you may feel like you are stepping on gravel in a shoe, or as if you have creases in a sock.

Morton's neuroma is often associated with wearing too high or narrow heels, which causes thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to the toes. As a result, you may experience pain and stinging in the heel of your foot. Your toes may also sting, heat, or feel numb.

8. Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is a painful type of inflammation that usually occurs on the soles of the feet. This condition results from repeated pressure on the metatarsal bones, which are the bones between the toes and the arch of the foot.

Metatarsalgia is characterized by pain that gets worse when you stand, walk, or flex your leg, especially when walking on hard surfaces, and get worse when you rest.

You may also experience sharp pain, numbness, or tingling in the soles of your feet. People who are overweight, do high-intensity exercise, walk frequently barefoot, and wear narrow shoes for a relatively long time are at risk of developing metatarsalgia.

9. Rheumatism

Rheumatoid arthritis or better known as rheumatism is a chronic inflammation that can affect your entire body, including the soles of the feet. Yes, this condition causes muscle pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints.

The joints most commonly affected are the hands, wrists, knees and feet. Rheumatism affecting the hips, knees, or feet can make it difficult to bend, stand and even walk.

The pain in the joints tends to come and go. However, usually the symptoms will worsen in the morning after waking up and after sitting for a long time. People who are over 40 years of age are more at risk of developing rheumatism.

If you suspect rheumatism as the cause of sore feet or if you have a history of this disease, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.

10. Uric acid

The soles of the feet are painful and accompanied by swelling can also occur due to gout. Gout is another form of arthritis. The big toe is the part that most often hurts when exposed to gout.

However, gout can also affect other joints in the feet, such as the knees, ankles, feet, and feet. Not only that, uric acid can also occur in the arms, hands, wrists and elbows.

This condition causes the affected area to become swollen, hot, red, painful, and feels stiff. This condition can occur suddenly and cause intense and painful symptoms.

11. Tendinitis

Tendinitis occurs when a ligament is torn, inflamed, and swollen. Usually this condition occurs as a result of doing too much physical activity or in an unusual way without warming up first.

Other causes include wear and tear, injury, and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Tendinitis is a common cause of shoulder, elbow, wrist and ankle pain in lay people or athletes.

How to treat sore feet and feet

In fact, foot or foot pain that is not too severe can be treated with home remedies alone. However, if the condition is severe, maybe you should check with a doctor to make a diagnosis of the condition you are experiencing.

There are several ways you can treat leg pain, including:

1. Take pain relievers

If you do feel pain or pain in the leg, you can relieve it by taking painkillers. According to Versus Arthritis, paracetamol can help with pain and discomfort.

The pain relievers you can use are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, which you can find at convenience stores or at the nearest pharmacy.

For the rules of use, you better look at the packaging of each drug. However, if the pain persists, you should go see a doctor.

2. Lie down, raise your legs

Sit or lie down with your legs elevated to help you reduce swelling. Avoid excessive use of your feet, especially in strenuous or high-impact activities, such as jogging or walking.

If the pain in the leg is accompanied by severe swelling, then it is recommended that you use a compress bandage.

3. Cold compress

Cold compresses aim to reduce inflammation, reduce bleeding into the tissues, and reduce muscle spasms and pain. To treat sore feet, first massage the bottoms of your feet with moderate pressure using a bottle filled with cold water or ice for about 20 minutes.

Do it three or four times a day as recommended by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. You can also apply ice to the soles of your feet for 15-20 minutes at a time several times a day as an alternative.

4. Stretch

Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Then lift your right leg up and place it on your left thigh. Use your fingers to gently stretch your toes one by one, from the top, down, to the side.

Hold the stretch in each direction for five seconds. Repeat the stretch with the other leg, doing this for each leg 20 times.

You can also stretch using a tennis ball. Rolling a tennis ball under your foot can help relieve pain in the arch and reduce pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

To perform this movement, you sit straight on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place a tennis ball or other small hard ball, under the floor next to your feet. Put one foot on the ball and roll the ball around you, the ball should feel massaging the bottom of the foot.

Continue the movement for 2 minutes, then repeat on the other leg. If you don't have a suitable ball, you can use a frozen water bottle.

5. Choose shoes that fit your size

Wear shoes that match. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and support your feet. According to the National Institute on Aging, the criteria for a good shoe include:

• A shape that matches the shape of the foot.
• The heel of the shoe does not slide down or up as you walk.
• There is a gap of about 1 cm between the tips of the toes and the toes of the shoes.
• Not tight or cramped.
• Flexible, aka easy to move.
• Thick sole and cushioned footwear.