I’d classify this particular study as a Duh study if it weren’t so serious. After all, we do know that certain types of shoes can cause problems, such as bunions, hammertoes and fallen arches. We also know that more women have foot problems than do men. So do we really need a study to tell us that we’re doing it to ourselves?

Researchers in the United States studied 3372 people (1900 women) to evaluate the health of their feet. The study findings were published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. The study subjects were asked about the types of shoes they wore both now and in the past and if they had any pain in their feet. If they did have pain, they were asked to qualify the pain – describe where it was, when it happened and how often it occurred.

The groups were divided according to their ages when they wore certain types of shoes and the shoes were divided into groups as well:

• good (low risk shoes including athletic and casual sneakers)
• average (mid risk shoes such as hard- or rubber-soled shoes, special shoes and work boots)
• poor  (high-risk shoewear that lack support and sound structure, including high-heeled shoes, sandals, and slippers).

As expected, the researchers found that more women reported general foot pain (29%) than men (19%). The women also had more pain in the hindfoot, which is typical of shoe-related pain, particularly from high heels.

Types of Problems Caused by Shoes

Bunions are (MedLinePlus.com):

Although bunions may run in families, narrow heeled shoes are the most common cause.

Hammertoes are (MedLinePlus.com):

Fallen arches are:

• The arch of your foot is flat on the ground aligned with the heel and ball of the foot

Plantar fasciitis is:

• Inflammation of the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot

~~~~

Image: PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Blisstree

Poor Shoe Choices Now Mean Foot Pain Later

If you consider the amount of time we spend on our feet and how much weight and pressure is put on them on a daily basis, we really don’t give our feet enough credit for being the marvelous structures they are. Feet are often neglected and even abused if you think of the sky-high heels some women wear, the stubbing of toes as we walk barefoot, the blisters, and so on.

The problem with us and our feet is this is truly one of those situations of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” It’s only when our feet hurt and cause problems that we notice them and – unfortunately – sometimes it’s too late and we end up living with chronic pain in our feet.

Click here to read more.

Image: iStock

~~~~~

Post from: Blisstree

10 tips to prevent foot problems and foot pain

According to a new review that examined the results of 11 trials involving over 1300 people, researchers found that custom made inserts, or orthoses, were very helpful in reducing pain over three to six months.

If you have foot pain from arthritis, perhaps you should consider asking your doctor about custom made inserts.

~~~~

Post from: Blisstree

Researchers say custom-made insoles relieve arthritic foot pain

Since the point of the blog is to address pain in general, I try to cover as much as I can. Unfortunately though, chronic pain is a very large part of illness and disability, and living with chronic pain can be very difficult, which is why there are many  more posts on chronic pain than on acute pain. If you have any information you would like to share with us, please contact me. As well, if you have any suggestions of topics to cover, you can either leave a comment or email me. I’ll see what I can do.

And now…here are the top 10 posts at Help My Hurt for the month of June:

1. Helmetless motorcycle riders = organ donors?

2. Physical activity may help reduce arthritis pain

3. Press release: Lupus Foundation of America Launches Website Message Boards to Connect People With Lupus

4. Chest pain: is it a heart attack?

5. Help My Hurt lost one of its own today – RIP Tricia

6. Heroes actor Jack Coleman spreads the word about women and pain

7. Can my headaches mean I have a brain tumor?

8. Angelina Jolie sets a good example – she’s taking care of her feet, reducing foot pain

9. June: Living with Pain Blog Carnival

10. Painful dry mouth from medications

~~~~~~

Post from: Blisstree

Top 10 June posts at Help My Hurt

However, for some women, the high heels are hard to let go. Wearing high heels when you’re not pregnant is bad enough (Foot injuries put celebs on crutches), but when your balance is thrown off, your center of gravity changes, and your weight increases, you’re going to have even more problems with high heels. Many women actually end up with chronic pain because of their lengthy use of high heels.

I have to admit, before Nicole Richie gave birth, I saw her on Access Hollywood wearing really high heels -I remember thinking “how the heck can she walk on those when she’s due to deliver any day!?” Please don’t think I’m criticizing her – I’m not. She looked so happy and healthy that it wasn’t my call as to what shoes she wears, but it just seemed so impossible to me. The shoes in this photo aren’t as high as the ones I saw, but they’re not flip flops either.

Anyway, it seems that Angelina Jolie isn’t feeling as good about her feet, and according to this article, Angelina Jolie proves that pregnancy can be hell on feet, she has been having her heels lowered to a more comfortable level for her changing body.

I think that it’s great a celebrity is doing that because foot pain is something that can follow you for life – and if a celebrity that some women look up to is making an effort to take care of her feet and reduce foot pain, then maybe others will follow her example.

In some cases, reducing foot pain may mean wearing lower heels, in others, it may mean wearing higher heels – or shoes if you tend to go barefoot. It seems that being completely flat isn’t so good for your feet either: 2 types of shoes that cause foot pain

Here are some other posts about foot pain and foot care:

• Foot pain keeping you down?

• Foot pain causes a lot more than just discomfort – any podiatrists out there?

• Press release: New Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis

• Video: Orthotics for foot pain

Images: Newscom

~~~~~

Post from: Blisstree

Angelina Jolie sets a good example – she’s taking care of her feet, reducing foot pain

Foot pain can make it hard to enjoy the fun things in life and it can make the every day tasks virtually impossible. Unfortunately, I think that most of us take our feet for granted and don’t think about taking care of them unless we have a problem. Because of this, uncared for feet is a prime source for chronic pain.

I came across this press release issued by OurHealthNetwork.com, which discusses foot issues and how you can prevent pain.

Chronic pain in the ball of the foot hurts, and it can be disabling.

Metatarsalgia is a catch-all term that includes several painful foot conditions, such as calluses, dropped metatarsal heads, bursitis, arthritis, sesamoiditis, and Morton’s neuroma. Metatarsalgia (or forefoot pain) affects millions of Americans, making each step for them a nightmare.

When a person takes a step forward, the ball of his or her foot bears 100% of the person’s body weight for a brief period of time. Weight, or force, on the balls of the feet increases if a person carries a heavy object, runs, or jumps. At times when a person walks, pressure on his or her feet can exceed the person’s body weight. When a person runs, the pressure can be three to four times his or her normal body weight.

To make matters worse, wearing high heels, walking barefoot, and standing for long periods of time without proper support puts abnormal pressure on the balls of the feet. So even if a person’s feet are perfectly aligned, he or she may experience metatarsalgia if nothing is done to protect the balls of the feet.

Dr. Paul R. Kasdan and Dr. Lowell Weil, Jr., board-certified podiatrists and medical directors for OurHealthNetwork.com, recommend the following measures to help avoid or alleviate metatarsalgia:

– Wear shoes with heel heights of no more than 3/4 to 1 inch. If the heel is higher, too much of your body weight will be thrown forward on the balls of the feet.

– Avoid walking barefoot. Shoes – especially those with thick, cushioned soles – protect the feet and provide good shock absorption for the entire body.

– Consider custom-made orthotics for metatarsalgia. Custom orthotics can be designed to fit in dress shoes, while containing the custom accommodations that help to elevate dropped metatarsal heads. Orthotics also provide cushioning that helps the fatty pads protecting the bones in the feet to work as they should.

– Also consider wearing metatarsal pads made from felt, foam, and gel. Metatarsal pads comfortably raise dropped metatarsal heads to their normal levels, thereby rebalancing the forefoot and helping to eliminate pain. The following Web site provides more information about metatarsal pads and how they can help reduce forefoot pain: http://www.OurHealthNetwork.com/store/index.asp?department_id=51

To learn more about how Morton’s neuroma, metatarsalgia, sesamoiditis, calluses, and other common medical conditions can be easily and conveniently treated from the comfort of one’s own home with custom-made orthotics and over-the-counter pads for the ball of the foot, visit http://www.OurHealthNetwork.com.

~~~~~~~~

Image: iStock.com

Post from: Blisstree

Foot pain keeping you down?

Many people develop foot pain over the years, for various reasons. Pain can be caused by accidents, arthritis, bunions, fallen arches, even nerve damage from diseases like diabetes, as well as many other causes. When we’re young, we can often shake off the pain and still manage to go about our lives; but as people age, having a sore foot can be more than an inconvenience, it can be life altering.

Imagine not being able to get out of your house because it hurts to walk or even just to put on shoes. Imagine pain so intense in your feet that you can’t sleep. It’s not a pretty picture.

I wonder if anyone reading this blog is either a podiatrist or knows one well enough to ask if he or she would like to talk about foot pain in this blog. I think it would be a real eye-opener for some people.

If you are a podiatrist or know one and are interested in either being interviewed or writing a guest post, please let me know.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Post from: Blisstree

Foot pain causes a lot more than just discomfort – any podiatrists out there?

03/07/2008

Sore Step Relief: New Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis
Ranging from conservative and surgical relief to those gadgets seen on television

San Francisco, CA

The foot is the part of the body critical for maintaining function, balance and coordination while walking. However, thousands of Americans step out of bed every morning with an excruciating throbbing sensation in the foot and heel, affecting their quality of life. For many, plantar fasciitis has become a “real pain.”

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most frequently seen conditions by foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons. It is an overuse injury affecting a band of tissue (fasciia), which supports the arch and extends from the heel to the toes. Simply, it is a degenerative “wear and tear” of a tissue within the foot.

Click here to read the rest of the press release.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Post from: Blisstree

Press release: New Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis