Tired, achy feet are normal after a lengthy period of standing but if your feet hurt in one particular area after a long day on your feet, you should book a consultation with a Canadian Certified Pedorthist.
When you stand, the same muscles in your feet fire repeatedly as the pressure on them remains constant. However, when you walk about, the pressure shifts to and from different areas of your foot as the same muscles aren’t working all the time. If you have a sore area on your foot, walking will be less painful than standing as the pressure is on the area for less time.
Pain in one area of the foot that becomes worse when standing indicates a problem that requires pedorthic treatment. Although a Pedorthist needs to assess you to identify the exact cause of your pain, common conditions that cause localized pain are: plantar fasciitis, arthritis, stress fractures, broken bones, ulcers or even using insoles that are badly worn.
Although your Pedorthist will recommend specific treatment to ease your individual condition, often people who have localized foot pain require softer insoles as they ease pressure on their foot. If you have a stress fracture in the metatarsals (forefoot bones) you may need extra support and cushioning to balance the pressure in your injured foot. If you have arthritis in the foot, custom foot orthotics, along with orthopaedic footwear, will ease pressure from the painful arthritic areas.
In addition to custom foot orthotics and different footwear your Pedorthist may also recommend you modify your activities to decrease the amount of time you spend standing in one spot. If your job requires you to stand for long periods of time, your Pedorthist will discuss ways you can move around a bit to reduce the pressure on your painful area and help alleviate foot pain.
As with all foot pain, don’t try to self diagnose or self treat. Consulting a foot and lower limb expert is the quickest way to relieve foot pain, improve foot health and return to your normal activities.
By Jim Pattison, C. Ped (C), Prince Albert, SK
