3 Ways that Foot Arch Support Can Prevent Painful Foot Conditions
Arch pain and overpronation can cause problems for people of all ages and can even affect an athlete’s performance on the court, field, or track. For many people who experience pain like this, they may not be aware of the 3 common triggers. Most of the causes are avoidable, while many can be hereditary. According to the Cleveland Clinic, three of the avoidable causes for foot arch pain include poor selection of shoe style, improper fit, and lack of arch support . These ill-decided actions can all lead to painful foot disorders like bunions, hammertoes, and plantar fasciitis. The Mayo Clinic has found that 2 of the inherited foot problems that can lead to overpronation and arch pain include low foot arches or arches that are markedly high. Below are some common foot procedures that remedy these disorders and how each of them can be resolved.
Serious Foot Issues Can Occur Without Proper arch support
Some of the hereditary foot disorders include either low arches or abnormally raised arches. Both arch problems can affect anyone, including athletes. The result of a low arch can be arch pain and overpronation because this weakened part of the foot is not working as it should. When this foot area fails to support the body’s weight, foot overpronation occurs which can lead to a heel spur, a bony outgrowth in the heel. Surgery is sometimes needed to remove the boneprotrusion and relieve the irritation. The podiatrist will use a bone saw to cut away the bony protrusion to relieve the discomfort and ripped muscle tissue it had been causing. The best alternative for treating both types of arch disorders so heel spurs can be prevented is by supplying the foot with appropriate arch support through orthotics.
Foot Arch Pain Can Be the First Sign of Bunion Formation
Bunion removal, or a bunionectomy, is the process through which the bone growth that appears to the side of the ball of the foot is filed away to achieve a more conventional foot shape and width. In the most serious cases where the big toe has situated itself under the other toes, the podiatrist cuts a triangle-shaped wedge out of the big toe’s bone to reset it to its normal position. A tiny screw is used to fasten the two bone portions together. After about 6 to 7 months, the screw can be taken out. Though this problem can be brought on by pointed shoes, sometimes people are born with the tendency to form bunions. Foot specialists warn that tight shoes that force the toes into an unnatural position can cause bunions.
Without Proper Shoes, Painful Hammertoes Can Occur
Shoes that crowd the foot, including pointed-toe shoes, can result in development of hammertoes. This problem can affect walkers and runners that wear ill-fitting shoes during exercise as well. Hammertoes are, sadly, difficult to fix without a corrective operation. First, a podiatrist can try to straighten the affected toe to try and coax it into a more normal shape. For this procedure to work, patients need to wear shoes with plenty of toe room. Hammertoes can return if ill-fitting shoes are worn again. If splinting the toe is unsuccessful, surgery is the only option. The malformed toe must have a part of the bone removed to reduce its twist. The recovery period is very important, as patients who do not rest and elevate their feet as prescribed will fail to mend correctly. The way to avoid this condition is to wear roomy shoes.
No matter what type of activity level, age, or heredity, foot disorders can occur in a large percentage of patients. Though foot procedures can surgically alleviate these disorders, most of the time they are never an issue if people wear well fitting shoes and appropriate arch support .
