Foot pain while running? Treatment tips
Running is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to get fit, boosting your cardio, endurance and breath control, while also effectively burning calories.
Whether it’s a 50km ultramarathon or a quick jog around the block, if you're experiencing foot pain while running, here are some treatment tips.
Foot pain symptoms
The symptoms include swelling, aches, sharp pains, cramps, hot sensations or instability, just to name a few.
While it’s sometimes tempting to just run through the pain, these can indicate fatigue in the foot and if untreated can lead to injury or chronic issues.
Foot pain while running? Treatment tips
1. The importance of good shoes
Finding the right shoes for your feet takes more than just a good size. A good pair of shoes should have a bit of room at the front and side of the toes as well as a cushioned sole to reduce impact.
Going to a specialist shoe store is the best thing to do to get your fit right.
2. Insoles can be a game-changer
Insoles are a perfect example of a little thing going a long way. Foot pain while running can often be caused by incorrect posture that becomes aggravated by the higher strain of running.
By wearing the right type of insoles to correct and optimise your foot posture, you can alleviate pain as well as improve your run time.
3. Stretching your feet
Your feet have a complex network of tendons, ligaments and other muscles interwoven from your toes all the way up to your ankles.
Like any other muscle, these can become strained, stiff and tense from use. By stretching and strengthening the muscles you can reduce the pain and boost your performance.
Try some toe curls, towel grips and calf raises before and after your run.
4. Grass vs concrete
The surface you run on can make a huge difference to your feet and ankles and can have lasting consequences for those who run regularly.
It’s always better to run on softer surfaces like grass, dirt tracks or soft running tracks. Where possible, avoid running on concrete and other hard surfaces, as this results in less strain and force on the feet.
Learn more: Running on grass or concrete, does it matter?
5. Medical grade compression
Compression socks are one of the best ways to keep your muscles from getting fatigued, as well as boosting blood-flow to lower the chance of strain.
Wearing medical grade compression socks like Bauerfeind’s Run and Walk socks is a great way to improve your run, alleviate the pain and aid your recovery.
6. Don't forget to rest
While foot pain can be symptomatic of anything from muscle strain to arthritis or even a fracture, rest is a universal way to treat almost every condition.
Do this by keeping the feet elevated after a run, and if possible, breaking up your routine into more short runs instead of fewer long ones. Also try alternating between running and low impact exercise like swimming or cycling every second day.
Check out the full range of foot supports available.
7. Keep a healthy weight range
When you run, the force of your body weight on your knees and ankles can be increased by up to six times. This means that an extra 10 kgs can put 60 extra kilos of force on your joints.
If you’re overweight, start with walking, swimming, cycling and other low-impact exercises with smaller amounts of running to alleviate foot pain.
8. Monitor how long it lasts
While some pain can be expected when you push yourself running, or if there’s incorrect footwear or a poor running surface, this shouldn’t be lasting.
If you find the pain is so bad you can’t run or walk, it’s lasting more than a couple of hours after the run or your feet are excessively swollen or discoloured, it’s possible that you’ve got a more serious injury, and you should seek immediate medical attention.
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Bauerfeind products are developed at our innovation and manufacturing facility in Zeulenroda, Germany. Based on years of scientific research, our award-winning braces and support garments are highly recommended by medical professionals and athletes worldwide.
