Foot and ankle pain is incredibly common, and you certainly don’t need to go to a doctor every single time you hurt your foot. That said, it’s never a good idea to assume that your foot injury will completely heal on its own. Even if it gets to the point where you are no longer experiencing symptoms, there could still be lingering issues that you need to be aware of. In today’s blog, we explain why foot injuries oftentimes get worse without treatment, and some simple ways you can care for foot injuries without heading to the emergency room.
Why Foot Pain Can Get Worse
For the sake of this blog, we are going to focus on minor and mild foot injuries. Severe injuries or conditions that present with crippling pain obviously need to be addressed by a medical professional. Instead, we’re going to focus on some more minor injuries that may have you walking with a slight limp or dealing with discomfort with every step you take.
For these types of injuries, it’s imperative that you practice some proactive treatment techniques. Again, that’s not to say that you need to visit a doctor for care, but you shouldn’t just keep walking on your feet as if everything is normal. The main reason why this can be problematic is because our feet have to handle a significant amount of stress with every step we take. If tissues are strained or ligaments have been overstretched, this repeated stress can prolong symptoms and lead to delayed healing.
Even if symptoms eventually subside, your foot will likely be weaker as a result of the injury if you do nothing to help the area become stronger. Your ankle may eventually feel back to normal after a sprain, but if your ligaments have been weakened and you haven’t worked to restrengthen them, you will be at an increased risk for a subsequent sprain or even a fracture. Without proactive treatment, symptoms can linger, healing can be delayed and you can be at an increased risk for a similar injury down the road.
Proactively Treating Minor Foot Injuries
As we mentioned above, you don’t need to see a doctor every time you injure your foot, you just need to know some simple treatment techniques that can protect the area and then gradually help tissues return to full strength. Oftentimes this can be achieved with a combination of:
Short-Term Rest – Resting your feet or limiting your physical activity can help to protect your feet when they are at their most vulnerable following an injury. Note that the key here is short-term rest, because after 24-48 hours, controlled activity is typically more helpful at expediting the healing process.
Elevation – Elevating your feet can help to control swelling and inflammation, making it easier for the healing process to occur.
Physical Therapy/Stretching – There are a number of simple stretches or low-impact physical therapy exercises that can help specific areas of your feet become stronger or regain range of motion following an injury. Talk to your doctor or do a Google search for some PT exercises that can help you recover after an ankle sprain or similar injury.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications – Over-the-counter medications can help to decrease localized inflammation and make it easier for you to pursue other helpful treatment techniques.
Gradual Return To Activities – Take it easy as you work to return to normal activities. Ease back into athletics or work, and stop if symptoms begin to develop.
Foot pain can get worse if not proactively treated, so don’t ignore those minor strains and sprains. We’re here to help if you need us, but we’re confident that if you have a little foresight and work to protect and strengthen your feet that you’ll be able to recover following a minor foot injury.
