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Sore, uncomfortable feet can make daily activities difficult. Fortunately, there are simple remedies you can implement to soothe achy feet and make them feel rejuvenated.
Evaluate Your Shoes
Your choice of shoes plays a big role in foot health. Wearing unsupportive or ill-fitting shoes often leads to foot pain. Take time to find proper footwear for work and physical activities. Visit shoe stores and speak to sales associates. The experts at Commonwealth Foot & Ankle recommend a visit to foot specialists who can analyze your feet and recommend shoes. Replace worn shoes regularly to maintain support.
Apply Heat
Applying heat boosts blood circulation to tired feet. Try soaking feet in warm water mixed with Epsom salt or massage oil. The warmth relaxes muscles while the salt and oil provide soothing benefits. Heating pads and patches designed for feet also effectively relax and restore aching areas. Place on the bottoms or tops of feet and toes depending on where you feel tension.
Use Cold Therapy
Ice and cold packs reduce inflammation that contributes to soreness. Wrap ice cubes or refrigerated gel packs in a towel and place under arches or other painful spots for ten to fifteen minutes, alternating heat and cold several times for maximum relief.
Keep Feet Raised
When resting at home, keep your feet raised above the level of your heart. This allows gravity to improve circulation and drain fluid from lower extremities. Prop legs up on pillows or ottomans so feet sit higher than your torso at about heart level. Try lying back completely and placing your calves and feet on the seat of a couch.
Roll Feet Over Golf Balls
Golf balls massage and apply pressure to tender areas of feet. Sit barefoot and place a golf ball under the arch of one foot. Apply body weight to lightly roll the ball back and forth slowly. Work from the ball of your foot back under the arch to the heel. Switch feet and repeat for 5 minutes per foot. Apply more or less pressure depending on comfort level.
Apply Arnica Gel or Cream
Arnica is an anti-inflammatory herb that treats swollen, bruised skin from overuse. It comes in oral forms but is most effective when absorbed through the feet. Massage arnica gel, cream, or ointment over sore areas and joints of feet. The active plant compounds reduce inflammation, easing tenderness. Arnica also speeds up healing of damaged muscle tissue from continual use.
Stretch Toes
Stretching toes brings relief to tense forefeet and toes cramped in shoes. Sit with legs extended and loop a towel over the ball of one foot. Grasp both ends of the towel and gently pull back until you feel tension in your toes and forefoot. Hold for thirty seconds, then release; perform 5-10 repetitions before switching feet. This opens joints and increases flexibility.
Wear Compression Socks
Compression socks apply gentle pressure up lower legs to improve circulation to feet. The squeezing action helps push blood through veins back toward the heart. This brings fresh, oxygenated blood to lower extremities to aid recovery. The added support also stabilizes overworked joints that may contribute to discomfort.
Conclusion
Tired, aching feet result from lengthy standing, improper footwear, intense exercise, or foot conditions. Luckily, you can follow self-care tips at home to nurture your feet and provide relief. Pay close attention to shoe choices, perform stretches, apply heat and cold, and try supplements like arnica gel and compression socks. With some rest and TLC, your feet will start feeling revived. If problems persist, consider consulting your doctor or foot specialist to address underlying issues.
