If you are having foot pain and/or discomfort while you are running, this can be very frustrating. Thankfully, this is something that a foot doctor can help you to deal with. This article will discuss 3 ways that they are able to do this for you.
Custom Made Orthotics
One of the main reasons that you may be feeling pain and discomfort in your feet when you are running is because your feet are not getting the level of support that they need for each stride. If you run a great deal, you are going to notice this issue even more. When you go into the podiatrist, they are going to perform a very thorough examination on the shape of your feet, your running gait, your foot strike, and more. They will also ask you what type of terrain you generally run on, your average mileage per week, and other questions about your running habits. This will then allow them to create some custom orthotics for you that are going to offer your feet the total support that they need in order to run without pain.
Physical Therapy
Your podiatrist may find that you are feeling pain and discomfort in your feet when you run because other areas of your body are not strong enough or are not functioning properly during running. This then adds extra stress to your feet and requires them to work harder. Thankfully, some of the stress can be taken off of your feet by strengthening these other muscles and also by improving your form. The best way to do this is to go to physical therapy regularly to build up your muscles and to improve your running form. Your podiatrist can then see what improvements you have made over time and will see if further treatment is going to be needed.
Reconstructive Foot Surgery
Often, if all other methods of treatments fail or simply aren't going to be beneficial to you in the first place, then reconstructive foot surgery is the next step. Your podiatrist may suggest this for a birth defect, a degenerative disease, an injury, an infection, a tumor, or whatever it was or is that has caused your foot to get to be in the condition that it is in. Their main goal with this surgery is going to be to get your foot functioning properly for you once again so that you can enjoy running without any pain or discomfort. However, you need to be smart about recovery and follow their orders for rest and physical therapy in order to get the best results.
Share8 November 2016
As a child, I used to spend my days roaming through the woods. I climbed trees, smelled the flowers, and laid in the grass looking at the clouds. My love for nature continued through my teen years, but when I turned 23, I began to sneeze whenever I left my home. I could no longer enjoy my outdoor hikes and I started taking antihistamines so I could at least open my windows on warm days. My allergies got worse though and I met with an allergist who completed a variety of skin tests. I started receiving allergy shots and my allergist taught me about natural cleaning processes and sinus rinses. The injections and natural treatments improved my quality of life greatly. Even if you do not want to start allergy injections, you have a variety of options that can lessen your symptoms, and you should learn what these options are.
