A foot injury, even a mild one, can put you out for weeks. It’s easy to underestimate how much foot health means to you until you’re struggling to walk up the stairs or stand for an extended period of time. Just like treating a wrist sprain or a back problem, there is no single treatment for foot injury. Instead of looking for a quick cure-all, learning more about foot health and all the ways it can be compromised will put you on the fast track to a treatment method that suits you. Give yourself a crash course in physical wellness by looking at the list below on ankle injury care and the most common forms of treatment for foot injury.
The Prevalence Of Chronic Pain
If you’re struggling with soreness, stiffness or aching, you’re far from alone. Over one billion people on the planet live with chronic pain as we speak, with some cases minor and other cases so severe it impacts the ability to work. A recent medical study sees over 80% of adults experiencing lower back pain at some point in their life, resulting in the most common form of chronic pain alongside hip pain, neck pain and wrist pain. Another two-thirds of the American adult population will experience shoulder pain and as many as 40% of those with back pain won’t seek professional help.
The fact you’re here reading this now is a great step on your way to reducing your chronic pain and improving your quality of life.
Foot Science And Basic Health
Our bodies go through major changes through each stage of our life. An infant is born with more than 300 bones, but by the time they reach adulthood these bones will merge and become a much smaller 206. Despite the advances of modern medicine there is still rigorous debate on just how many muscles the human body can lay claim to, with the Library Of Congress estimated anywhere from 650 to 840. The foot, in particular, is home to 26 bones and is both a powerful and fragile part of the human body.
As you can see, no single treatment for foot injury can provide the answer. Let’s keep looking at what you could be struggling with.
Common Foot Injuries
Due to all the different bones and muscles in the human foot, there are many ways to sustain an injury that puts you out for weeks. One of the most frequent sources of broken toes and sprained ankles brought to physical therapists is the sports injury. There are entire fields dedicated not just to healing these fractures, but providing consistent therapy to help injured parties run and play like they used to. Another common (but underappreciated) source of foot pain are ill-fitting shoes. If you experience cramping or spasms after a long day, it’s likely you need to seek out better footwear.
A 2009 study published in the Arthritis and Rheumatology medical journal found women who wore good shoes being up to 70% less likely to report foot pain.
Receiving Treatment For Foot Injury
What can you expect from professional treatment for foot injury? At the very least you can ensure that whatever issue you have doesn’t get worse. Patients with lower back pain, for example, showed much greater improvement and personal satisfaction after one month compared to family physicians. This is due to much more specialized care going directly to the source of the pain, allowing them more time to recover than if they’d sought out general support or put off treatment. Acupuncture can also prove a viable option for those interested in going down a more unique path to pain reduction.
Rather than limp your way through the work week, consider that your feet hurting isn’t a normal state to be in. Physical therapy can make sure whatever ails you won’t be coming back for round two.