Years as a runner have made me very aware of my feet. I’ve tried probably 50 different brands of running shoes and tried quite a few different orthotics or arch supports. The greatest success I have had in making running comfortable for my feet has been getting my feet adjusted to keep all the rows of bones moving independently. You can see by the picture above there are essentially seven rows of bones in the foot and each row has a potential for getting stuck together depending on the stress created by the activity we do. Climbing ladders, running, foot injuries, even inactivity can create jammed joints or jammed rows of bones in your feet. The problem being, each row of bones provides movement to distribute and dissipate stress through the foot and create a suspension like your car’s shock-absorber. If you lose the suspension in the foot the force goes up or down into the tissues and joints above and below the area that is stuck, and tears it up creating pain. I’ve seen foot problems create everything from knee pain, hip pain, and even low-back pain. Foot problems can also be secondary to joint areas stuck in the low-back or pelvis which creates pelvis rotation and pushes the body’s weight toward one foot. More body weight on one foot creates an overuse syndrome and the tissue in the foot becomes strained or sprained resulting in pain.
So what do you when your feet begin to hurt during activity? Get them checked? Yes, but you can do some of it yourself. I pull on each toe first (they might pop), then I grab each foot with both hands and wring it out twisting in both directions. Rotate the foot in opposite directions, and point the toes up and down and from side to side. You may get pops and clicks, but that is good to reestablish motion. Next: stand, walk, then run. Try to see if the feet feel better. Try icing for 15-20 minutes with an hour in between if you want to ice it again. You can also try hot salt water bath, (1 cup of rock salt in hot enough to feel good water.) If none of those work you need to be evaluated for posture and function of the foot. Don’t settle for just slipping an arch support in there, make sure the feet and rest of your body are working properly. Get adjusted and heal fast.
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