Apr 17, 2021

Written by Kyle Richardson - Managing Director of FNQ Podiatry & Orthotics

 

Feet are often something we take for granted.

They are our primary form of transport which allow us to complete our daily activities; from walking to the bathroom first thing in the morning, going for a run, to chasing around our kids in the backyard.

Consisting of 26 bones, over 30 joints and 100+ muscles, ligaments and tendons, they really are an engineering masterpiece and are often taken for granted until they start to hurt.

All of a sudden, those daily activities become difficult and you start to realise how important feet really are.

As a Podiatrist, I see far too many people who are suffering from foot and leg pain that could have been prevented in the first place.

 

5 Steps for Pain-Free Feet

Given this, the following is a list of 5-simple steps that you can take to reduce your risk of getting a foot or lower limb injury.

1.     Buy Good Quality Shoes

In today’s modern world, the average adult spends approximately 40 hours/week in shoes.

This is a large amount of time and if the shoes aren’t of reasonable quality, it significantly increases the risk of injury. You don’t necessarily need to buy top of the line but stay away from the $20 specials.

These cheap shoes are of extremely poor quality and have no structure or support.

SHOP QUALITY SHOES

 

2. Strengthen your feet!

We all know how important strength and conditioning is for the human body and feet are no exception.

The 100+ ligaments, muscles and tendons, 26 bones and 30 joints are working every day to support our body weight and promote function.

The weaker these structures are, the more vulnerable they are to injury.

Simple exercises such as calf raises, towel scrunches with your toes and arch lifts can make the world of difference.

Image credit: Open Fit

The best thing is, all of these activities can be done while completing other daily activities such as while making a cup of coffee, cleaning your teeth or reading a book!

 

3.     Give Them Some Barefoot Time!

There is nothing better for your feet than some barefoot time – within moderation of course.

This helps to build up strength in your feet and make them more resilient to potential issues.

If you have a history of sore feet or you think they are flat-footed, we recommend closely monitoring this as too much time without shoes can cause them discomfort.

Image credit: Live Science

4.     Gradually Build Into Activity

The most common contributing factor to foot pain that we see in our clinics is the fact that patients have increased or changed their activity too quickly.

January and February are our two busiest months of the year, largely due to New Year’s Resolutions.

People get a newfound drive to find a healthier self (which is great!) but more often than not, go from 0 to 100.

This doesn’t allow your feet and lower limbs time to adjust and strengthen with time, therefore placing you at a high risk of injury; for example Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis or stress fractures.

Understand your limits, harness your motivation and slowly build into activity, factoring in rest days to allow your body to recover.

 

5.     Get Pain Assessed As Early As Possible

As with most health issues, the earlier you seek treatment, the quicker the resolution.

Foot and lower limb pain is no exception. Given this, as soon as you feel symptoms, we recommend booking in to see a Podiatrist for a biomechanical assessment.

They will run you through a complete examination to identify the diagnosis and more importantly, identify your risk factors.

Podiatrists are the most qualified allied health professionals to treat foot and lower limb pain.

Don’t hesitate to get treatment as early as possible and they will get you back doing what you love as soon as possible.

 

About Our Guest Blogger

Kyle Richardson is the Managing Director of FNQ Podiatry & Orthotics. A born and bred local to the Cairns area, Kyle moved to Brisbane in 2007 to study Podiatry at the Queensland University of Technology, where he graduated with 1st class honours. Upon completing his degree, Kyle was a clinical supervisor at the University, helping students achieve their full potential as well as working in private practice.

Kyle has played hockey at a national level and has been a treating Podiatrist for players in the QLD Blades/Scorchers hockey teams, the Kookaburras (Australian Men's Hockey Team) and the QLD Bulls cricket team. Since returning to Cairns, he is now the team Podiatrist for the Cairns Taipans and the Northern Pride.

Whilst Kyle has a special interest in sports and biomechanical podiatry, he is passionate about keeping people of all ages on their feet and contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Outside of work, Kyle loves nothing more than getting away camping and fishing with his wife and two young boys.

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