Part of staying healthy is staying active, even when half of the world is in lockdown or quarantine. Many people have bought exercise equipment, from treadmills to yoga mats so that they could continue their gym routines at home. But all this activity has also left many people with painful and sore feet. You might think you only need a better pair of athletic shoes, but sometimes the problem could be something else.
Painful feet are nothing new to people who indulge in sports and exercise. All that running, jumping, and skipping can take a toll on your leg muscles but also your soles and feet. Numbness could indicate nerve problems, while pain could indicate flat-footedness or landing the wrong way. If you have been feeling some pain in your feet during or after exercise, it’s best to check the following areas to see what you could do to lessen the incidence of the pain.
Check Your Shoes
Individual sports and activities might require a different kind of feet support, so check if your athletic shoes are suitable for your activity. Sometimes they could offer you too much support, giving your feet angles you don’t need. This could hurt your soles, so it’s best to get a foot gait analysis to check on the kind of support you need. If you have old shoes, they might be too worn for your sports or exercise regimen, so it’s best to purchase new shoes if you experience pain.
Check Your Exercise Surface
Sometimes foot pain could start from changing one kind of exercise surface to another. If you are used to doing your workouts on wood, grass, or earth, shifting to concrete and pavement might give you some pain at the bottom of your feet. Choose a workout area with a wooden floor, or use an exercise mat when doing your routine.
Check When the Pain Happens
The pain could stem from some other issue in your body. If your legs and feet go numb after a particular routine, it might be a pinched nerve somewhere in your leg. If you feel the pain somewhere in your feet, it could be the beginnings of corn growth. If there is numbness, it’s best to see your doctor. If your feet are developing corn, it’s best to change your shoes and ask a podiatrist to remove the corn growth. Seeing a podiatrist could also help in checking if you have flat feet, in which case your shoes require extra padding for support and artificial arches.
Check Your Routine
Sometimes the pain could also start with the way you do your routine. Landing on your feet puts a lot of weight and pressure on them, and you need to land properly so that you won’t ruin your balance and your feet. If your routine involves a lot of jumping, you should land with your toes first, then the balls of your feet, and then your heel. As you land, you should also bend your knees and hips. This can distribute the weight and shock evenly throughout your body.
You might think “No pain, no gain” is the proper mantra when it comes to staying healthy. But pain is also an indicator that your body needs some help. When your feet are aching and sore, it’s best to listen to them so that you can stay active for a long time.
