Issue Date: June 4, 2006
Foot pain: Fix it with exercise and longer shoes
By Susan T. Lennon
Feet hurt? Exercising them can help. Also, wear correctly sized shoes so your tootsies can move inside.
"A lot of people wear their shoes too short," says podiatrist Suzanne Belyea, the medical director for foot.com. "The feet are squeezed, the toes don't move, and the foot ends up being carried by the shoe when you walk -- rather than being exercised naturally."
Shoe-buying tips
Here are pointers from podiatrist Tracey Vlahovic, who teaches at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine.
Steel-toed boot-wearers. Give an over-the-counter insole a try, or see a podiatrist for an orthotic to provide stability and balance.
Diabetics. Get your feet measured for size; don't go by how the shoes feel.
Those on their feet all day. Wear well-made shoes or sneakers with arch support; skip shoes that can bend in half.
Pregnant women. Hormones can cause feet to expand, so buy bigger shoes.
Everyone. Purchase shoes at day's end, when feet are naturally swollen.
Exercises FOR FEET
Try these twice a day. Hold each stretch for 10 seconds, relax, repeat three times.
Stretch Achilles tendons. Stand at arm's length from wall (with hands on it), point toes inward, and lean forward, bending elbows, as if doing a push-up.
Sit with feet flat on floor. Lift just toes while balls of feet still touch the floor.
Sit with feet flat on floor, and raise just inner arches and toes off the floor.
Learn more at foot.com or the American Podiatric Medical Association's site at apma.org.
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