Pain within the arch of the foot is a common occurrence for runners and other athletes but we see it also affecting a lot of people in the summer months. Why so?
The role of the arch in the foot is to:
- Absorb shock
- Adapt to changes in terrain
- Weight transfer from heel to toe
- Stability
Pain within the arch can be felt in the heel or ball of the foot, on top of the foot and/or up the leg further. This pain is the result of an injury to the muscles, bones, ligaments or tendons.
The cause of the injury may be from:
- Acute trauma
- Overuse
- Weight gain
- Neurological conditions.
Why the summer months?
Apart from runners and other athletes, we see an increased rate of arch pain occurrence during the summer months due to lack of supportive footwear. Being close to the beach and obviously the warmer weather we see a transition in the type of footwear worn throughout the year. Our feet become accustomed to our boots and runners which provide a greater level of support for our feet, however during summer we are more likely to see people walking barefoot or in thongs.
Prevention and treatment:
Here are some simple tips to reducing your discomfort and/or preventing this from occurring.
Reduce Load: By reducing the load through the foot this should allow the injured structure some time to heal (pun intended!). The amount of load reduction will be determined by the level of irritation ranging from complete rest to a 10% reduction.
Transition: Structures in the body become accustomed to certain levels of loading. Give your feet time to adapt to changes in footwear by slowly introducing different options as the temperature starts to warm up. This will allow time for your feet to get familiar to less support and will reduce the likelihood of an injury.
If you wish to book in with one of our trusted physiotherpists to help with a specific plan to rid you of those achy feet, call the clinic on 9913 2632 or Book Online.
