Your feet play a big role in each day of your life.
Depending on your level of daily activity you can end the day experiencing tired, aching feet and potential foot pain that drives a level of discomfort.
This ailment is more pronounced the older we get. As we age, the fatty tissue that pads the soles of the feet begins to thin, and when you add in the widening and flattening of the feet its little wonder that foot pain occurs. As an older person when one starts to feel foot pain it can be a warning sign for arthritis, diabetes, or even circulatory issues.
Severe foot pain appears more commonly in women than men. Primarily this relates to the style of shoes that women migrate to, in most cases the ones with an elevated heel design. Long periods of time spent in higher heels will increase the probability of foot discomfort.
Your feet have over 200,000 sweat glands, and depending on the temperature of the day and the shoe environment in which your feet reside there can be anywhere up to 250ml of moisture lost from the foot region. Staying well hydrated will assist with pain management in your feet.
You will know when you are experiencing aching feet. The symptoms will include a dull, aching pain in the feet, often combined with a sense of tiredness, heaviness and swelling in the feet and legs.
There are a number of treatment actions that your podiatrist would recommend to alleviate aching feet.
- At day’s end lay on the floor and elevate your feet on a couch or bed for 20 minutes. This simple technique assists in clearing the lymph nodes and any water retention in the feet, both common causes of aching feet.
- Soaking your feet in warm water with either tea tree oil or peppermint oil is a good way to soothe and relax the feet.
- Include a foot massage on a regular basis. This will relax the feet and stimulate the circulation.
- Add some foot stretching exercises to your day. This can help to strengthen the arches whilst improving the circulation of blood in your feet.
- Adding a pair of orthotic insoles to your shoes will help to control over-pronation whilst improving the support offered to your arches. This alone will help to prevent the onset of aching, tired feet.
If you are experiencing the effects of aching feet, then do make contact with a podiatrist who can work with you to provide excellent solutions.