Our feet are the workhorses of our bodies, but we take them for granted. I admit I was one of the many who give them so little respect.
As a marathoner, I practice almost on a daily basis and even more when competitions are looming in. I never skipped a run in the mornings but what I almost always neglect is to give my feet the proper care it deserves after a long run.
As if that’s not enough, my feet also put up with many other challenges from wearing high heels that are elevated ate weird heights and letting them sweat in socks for almost a day. While in the midst of suffering from such indignities, my feet didn’t complain until half a year ago, the pain that I thought will fade after a few hours of rest lasted for almost two weeks. It left me limping and almost made me miss one of the games I most prepared for.
My trainer advised me to see a foot specialist in Singapore but it took me two days to convince and when I finally visited an ankle doctor, as what I’d like to call it, how I care for my feet completely changed.
What Caused Me My Foot Pain
During my consultation, I was told by my doctor that my feet are over-exercised that it’s sore to the core—exaggeration intended. Although it was quite alarming, given that I am living to run, it was still quite some good news because it wasn’t arthritis, a broken foot, infection, or any other long term condition.
Given my active lifestyle, I was advised to undergo heel pain treatment to manage the pain I am feeling with my sore, tired, aching, and swollen feet. Besides that, I was also lectured with some points on how I can take better care of my feet.
Foot massage. Whatever foot massage methods you prefer, it can help in relieving the pain caused by long hours of running or standing.
Anti-inflammatory medications. If it’s hard to tolerate the pain, you can opt taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to address the pain.
Practice RICE. Rest, ice, compress, and elevate. Do this at least 20 minutes on each foot while lying down in bed and repeat as often as desired.
Foot spa. Soak your feet in warm water for at least 20 minutes every day. I prefer to skip the Epsom salt because it dries my skin.
In addition to this, I was also prescribed arch support insoles because as a woman, I was told that I am more prone to developing flat feet which can lead to more serious foot problems. It should help keep my feet strong and healthy, provided that I limit the amount of time I wear shoes, flip-flops and other flat footwear that lack supportive arches.
It made me realise that our feet requires as much TLC like any other parts of our body do. If you love your feet, visit a Singapore foot clinic today!
