We often hear our patients reporting long term foot and ankle pain as ‘normal’ and something they live with, but this doesn’t have to be the case!
A recent study from the Journal of Foot and Ankle research showed a strong link between the strength (or lack thereof) of the muscles within the foot and significant recurring foot pain in the adult population.
Heel pain, bunion pain, ankle pain and arch pain were all linked with lower than average foot intrinsic muscle strength.
A holistic assessment of your biomechanics, lifestyle, footwear habits and pain history can go a long way to getting you back pain free but what is often overlooked is the importance of the tiny muscles in your feet and role they play in keeping you stable and functioning at your optimum. These muscles can be particularly weak in those who have worn restrictive footwear over long periods (high heels, ballet flats or men’s brogues) and also those with varying stages of osteoarthritis.
As well as other treatment modalities, a one on one assessment with your Podiatrist or Physiotherapist to determine if strength levels are an underlying factor contributing to your pain could finally have you on a treatment pathway to healthy and pain free feet!
by Marcus Roche, Podiatrist
