Foot injuries are quite common for people, especially if you do not regularly watch where you walk or wear the wrong shoes. Injuries can vary from strains or sprains to fractures. It is a good idea to make sure you start immediate treatment no matter what injury you may have. However, you should always seek medical care after you have injured your foot or ankle to ensure you have not done significant damage. This blog is going to look at a few things you can do prior to seeking medical care.
What Causes Foot Injuries?
Foot injuries can happen in a variety of ways. They always seem to happen suddenly, which can mess up any plans you may have. The most common ways you can injure your feet are:Â Â
- Not Paying Attention to Where You are Walking
One reason many people get foot injuries is because they are too busy to pay attention to where they are walking. They could roll their ankle due to stepping off of a step wrong, or stepping on a child’s toy in the middle of the floor. Always try to keep an eye in front of you, as well as on the ground to ensure you avoid possible injuries.Â
- Wearing the Wrong Shoes
Wearing the wrong shoes or shoes that do not provide support can easily cause ankle and foot injuries. You should always make sure you are wearing the proper shoes when you are working out, and during the day, doing your typical routine. You should also make sure you wear shoes that provide support, which will make it difficult to injure your feet. You can get orthotic shoes to provide the right amount of support, which will help with a number of different foot conditions and body pain.Â
What to do if You Have a Foot Injury?
If you do injure your foot, you need to make sure you know what to do. Here are a few things that can help with various foot injuries:Â
- Determine if You Have a Sprain, Strain, or Fracture
You should make sure you know if you have a sprain, strain, or fracture because they all vary in severity. If you have a fracture, you will need longer treatment to heal your bone. The main way to know for sure is to get an x-ray of your foot or ankle. However, many people do not want to seek immediate medical care if it only happens to be a strain. If your foot does not see any improvement within two days of the injury, call your doctor and get quick medical help.Â
- Rest Your Foot, Elevate it, and Use Ice
When you first injure your foot, you need to make sure you elevate and rest it. This will help keep the injury from becoming more severe. Stop whatever you are doing, sit down and look at your foot. Take off your socks and shoes, and get your foot up and off of the ground. This can help reduce swelling, as well. You can use ice to help reduce the swelling, but also to reduce pain from the injury. Use an ice pack for fifteen minutes and then take about a fifteen to thirty minute break between using ice.Â
- Take Painkillers and Wrap Your Foot
After you injure your feet, immediately wrap it in something such as an ace bandage, even if you are going to seek immediate medical care. This can help keep the swelling down, as well as reduce pain. You can also take painkillers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Remember, if you do believe you have a fracture or a severe sprain, then seek medical attention as soon as possible.
If you are prone to getting foot injuries or want to attempt to avoid future ones, then you can get some great orthotic shoes from The Orthotic Shop! Take a look around to see our various styles and find something that will work for you. You can also ask your podiatrist for recommendations on the shoes within our store to find the best one for your feet and body.