Foot Arch Pain - How to Deal With It?

Foot arch pain is used in broader context for describing pain in bones, ligaments, muscles and nerve on the foot bottom. Slight damage to any of the components in the foot bottom can cause great pain. For starters, the pain lasts for a brief period, but increases over time if the condition is left untreated. Foot arch pain is more commonly witnessed in people over the age of 60 and among athletes engaged in sports of high impact.
The treatment plan of the pain totally depends on the cause. An early and right diagnosis goes a long way in treating the condition faster. For occasional mild to moderate pain, simple solutions such as footwear change can do the trick. Doctors often suggest four simple methods. This starts with rest followed by applying ice and then trying compression and elevation.

Anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat foot arch pain. Cases that are severe in nature can be treated with steroid and anti-inflammatory injections. For extreme cases, cortisol injections are prescribed too. This is done to relieve pain and release plantar fascia. Even stretching exercises are known to give relief from the pain. Some of the recommended exercises during this period are:

1. Stretch-related to plantar fascia: This exercise should be performed by crossing the legs at the junction of the knee. The body weight should be rested on the unaffected leg and it should gradually come down to touch the toe. The idea is to stretch the plantar fascia. A set of 20 such movements should be practised on a daily basis. Each movement should last for about 10 seconds.
2. Foot flexing: This exercise can be practised before getting out of bed. This is the tie when the pain from the plantar fascia is felt the most. This exercise should be repeated 20 times each lasting for about 10 seconds.
3. Rolling stretch: This exercise should be started by sitting in a chair. A tennis ball should be placed under the foot arch and the same should be rolled back and forth for ten times at a time. The same should be repeated with the second foot. Once this posture gets comfortable, the same should be practised by standing on the ball. It is known to be extremely useful for people suffering from foot arch pain.

How to prevent foot arch pain?
1. Wear shoes that are half an inch lose as they will make feel comfortable while walking
2. Losing weight; obese tends to cause pain in the foot arch
3. Performing free hand exercise and simple stretching on a daily basis
4. Not to overuse the foot. People who stand for more than 5-6 hours at stretch on a daily basis are observed to have foot arch pain. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.