Foot Health: How to Keep Your Feet Healthy (+ relieve sore feet 👣)

 

Regardless of how you choose to adventure—long hikes and even longer runs, gravel rides, in-town walks with friends, gym time, skiing, and everything in between—maintaining healthy feet and addressing foot problems before they arise is hugely important. In this article about how to keep your feet healthy, we’re going to walk you through (get it 😉) a number of ways you can treat and relieve sore feet, and maintain foot health for the long haul.

 

We hope this foot health article gives you some solid insight into why your feet hurt, as well as how you can make them stop hurting and move towards excellent overall foot health. For additional resources, be sure to check out some of the other articles in our Foot Health Journal.

 

 

Why Do My Feet Hurt? (4 common foot problems 👣)

 

Plantar Fasciitis

While we already covered plantar fasciitis in another one of our Foot Health Journal articles, we just had to bring it up again. Why? Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, foot discomfort, and sore feet!

Plantar fasciitis pain typically occurs along the bottom of the heel, around the heel, and across the bottom of the foot. For a more in-depth look at how to treat sore feet from plantar fasciitis, head to our full article right here. 

 

Bunions

More often than not, sore feet are the result of bunions (and bunions are the result of years of putting pressure on your big toe joint). With bunions, you’ll experience a hard, painful bump at the base of your big toe—sometimes this bump causes that toe to angle inward toward the second toe. No, not fun. 

While bunions are not directly caused by wearing poor-fitting or narrow shoes, these things do exacerbate the pain associated with bunions. If you have sore feet after work or from walking, bunions could be part of the problem. 

 

Flat Feet

When people with flat feet stand, you typically can’t see an arch (the entire foot touches the floor, with no space between). Quite common, flat feet causes a fair amount of discomfort (though, not for everyone) and can be the cause of sore feet and foot problems in general.

 

Metatarsalgia

This foot problem affects the bones and joints in the ball of your foot, leaving you with generally sore feet on any given day. Typical in runners, metatarsalgia is the result of impact, weight distribution, and a shift in how your feet work in relation to the two. If you increase the intensity of your training, train with poor-fitting or worn-out shoes, and keep asking yourself “why do my feet hurt?” (especially in the balls of your feet) after more intense runs or high-impact exercise, you might be experiencing metatarsalgia. 

 

 

 

How to Make Your Feet Stop Hurting (treat your sore feet!)

Now that we’ve covered a handful of reasons why you might have sore feet or why your feet hurt after walking or running, let’s take a look at how to make your feet stop hurting! While there’s no cure-all for sore feet, the following should help alleviate some of your foot pain or, in the least, point you in the right direction. As always, we recommend consulting with a trusted physician before diving in too deep.

Plantar Fasciitis 

Whether you opt for physical therapy, at-home stretches and exercises, night splints, or orthotics for plantar fasciitis (or all of the above), it’s important to be proactive about your plantar fasciitis. 

In addition to checking out our full article on plantar fasciitis, remember to: 

• Wear supportive shoes that aren’t too old or worn out.
• Rest, ice, and stretch.
• Show your sore feet some love—massage your feet and calves regularly.
• Choose insoles that give you the best arch support for your sore feet!

Bunions

If you are experiencing sore feet from bunions, try the following:

• To help prevent bunions before they start, or to treat bunions in the moment, always make sure you wear shoes with a wider toe box. No crunched toes or squished feet, please! 
• Try adding specific padding that will help alleviate calluses.
• Get a quality pair of insoles that will specifically help alleviate sore feet caused by bunions. The right insole should help balance the muscles and tendons in your feet, and stop bunions from getting any worse than they already are.

Flat Feet

What’s the best way to treat sore feet that are the result of flat feet? Shoe inserts for flat feet!

The right shoe inserts for flat feet will force your feet to arch and, as a result, help absorb impacts from walking, hiking, and running. Together with appropriate, good-fitting shoes, insoles for flatfeet can also help prevent other foot issues and foot pain.

Metatarsalgia

As an impact-driven foot problem, metatarsalgia is most often alleviated by resting, supporting, and caring for your feet (makes sense, right?). If your feet are sore as a result of metatarsalgia, be sure to give them plenty of rest and time with an ice pack. You’ll also want to make sure your shoes aren't worn out, and that you’re using footwear with a high, wide toe box and rocker sole.

 

Places to go? Keep your feet healthy so you can stay mobile. Image: Adobe

 

Treat Your Feet Right—They’re Your Foundation!

Yes, there are a number of foot problems not covered here, as well as a range of other remedies and solutions forhow to make your feet stop hurting. Nevertheless, we hope this little article helps you find relief and better overall foot health. Cheers to you!

 

To learn more about how Tread & Butter can change your world from the ground up, check out our high-quality insoles, available in high arch or low arch, or send us a note about your specific insole needs. We’re always here to inform, support (literally), and help keep your feet strong, flexible, and healthy.