"For the past several weeks I have
been experiencing morning foot pain after getting out of bed. The first few steps are very
painful, what is causing this?"
Morning foot pain is often the first sign of an inflammatory foot
condition known as
Plantar Fasciitis.
The first symptoms are usually most noticeable right when you get
out of bed in the morning. Left untreated, these symptoms can
worsen and extend through out the day, which can become very
debilitating.
Where is your foot pain located?
The picture below shows the areas ( red is highest frequency ) where
the pain is most commonly located. In most cases, the heel is
where the pain is most noticeable.
Do You Wear Flip Flops or Inexpensive
Shoes?
Plantar Fasciitis is sometimes referred to as
"Flip Flop Disease" due to the fact that a common cause is wearing
shoes that lack proper arch support. If you typically wear
flip flops or other shoes with little or no arch support, that is
the first easy change that can be made.
One of the easiest ways to
avoid Morning Foot Pain is to have a pair of these orthotic sandals
next to your bed and slip them on when you get up in the morning.
The built-in orthotic correction will help alleviate pressure on the
Plantar Fasciitis and eliminate the initial morning pain.
Morning foot pain and
Plantar fasciitis is also associated with long periods of standing
on your feet (especially on hard, flat surfaces such as concrete)
or a sudden change in activity level ( such as taking up jogging ).
If you stand for long periods of time in a retail environment, you
need proper arch support or you
will notice increased discomfort over time. If you work in a
construction setting, most work boots have sufficient arch support
when you are young, but you may find you need additional support
after several years of work.
An inexpensive way to see if better
arch support would make a
difference is to try an orthotic insole (insert). The one you
choose will depend upon what type of shoe you wear.
But I work at a desk, why do I have Morning Foot
Pain?
Weight gain combined with a sedentary lifestyle ( desk job & little
exercise ) is also a very common cause as this can cause the calf
muscles to become tight and less flexible.
Tight calf muscles can lead to
pronation of the foot. Foot pronation put pressure on the bottom
of you foot by repetitive over-stretching of the plantar
fascia which leads to inflammation and thickening of the tendon. As
the fascia thickens it loses flexibility and strength.
Here is an example of foot pronation:
As you can see the proper use of an
orthotic shoe
insert or sandal can move the foot back into a more
natural position which can alleviate pain.
The following video illustrates how excess pronation causes heel
pain:
Foot Pain Caused By Running, Golf and
Sports
Constant pounding from running, playing sports of even golfing can
cause inflammation and soreness in the heel and arch of the foot.
This pain is most evident when you first get out of bed in the
morning. If over-use is a possibility in your case, you may
want to choose to use a specifically designed orthotic while
running, participating in sports of golfing.
These
specially designed orthotic insoles include:
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