Few parts of the body work as hard as your feet every day, from the moment you get up in the morning until you’re ready to sleep at night.
This makes foot pain a common issue for millions, with a 2024 survey revealing that an estimated 80% of Americans 18 or older struggle with some type of it.
This can be especially problematic during the holiday months, as navigating the hustle and bustle can put extra stress on feet and exacerbate existing conditions.
Let’s look at the factors that lead to additional foot stress in the festive season to help you reduce the pain and other problems that can come with it.
Dr. Andrew Harrison and our experienced medical team can assist residents of the Lower Pacific Heights area of San Francisco and those in San Jose, California, in avoiding foot pain and managing any existing problems.
We often go out of our way to both enjoy ourselves and help loved ones do the same during fall and winter holidays, and that usually involves a lot of standing in lines for groceries, gifts, and traveling to see familiar faces over long distances.
This results in increased risks for foot health issues.
Overworking your feet can lead to many acute and chronic issues, including:
Cracks or breaks in one or several bones in your feet can lead to pain, bruising, inflammation, tenderness, problems bearing the weight, and, in severe cases, foot deformities.
A common source of heel pain, this condition damages the thick band of tissue on the bottom of your feet, known as the plantar fascia.
With it, you experience heel pain that’s often worse when you get up in the morning, pain that turns into a dull ache over the course of the day, and tenderness in your heel's bottom or arch.
Your toenail growing into the surrounding skin of the toe, improper nail trimming, or shoes that don’t fit often lead to this condition. When this happens, pain, tenderness, and swelling occur on and around the affected toe, and infection can develop without treatment.
With this foot deformity that affects millions of people, the second, third, or fourth toes bend downward at the middle joint when it occurs. This can make wearing footwear difficult and also cause pressure pain, pain under the ball of the affected toe, corns, calluses, redness, and swelling.
The Achilles tendon connects the heel of your foot to the muscles in the lower leg. Inflammation can develop due to overuse, overstretching, or other foot problems, such as flat feet. As a result, you deal with stiffness, pain, tenderness, swelling, and a warm sensation.
Try these methods to protect feet during holiday festivities:
Hammertoes, ingrown toenails, and other foot conditions can develop from wearing shoes that are too tight or cramping your feet. Choose comfort for your feet whenever buying shoes.
Keep your feet clean to avoid fungal infections. If you’re getting a pedicure for the festivities, make sure the salon follows proper sanitary guidelines.
Being on your feet a lot can be painful, but if you’re also experiencing any of the other symptoms mentioned earlier, seek medical help to diagnose and treat the issues.
Follow this advice to avoid additional stress on them during the holiday months. For all concerns regarding foot health this season, schedule an appointment with Dr. Harrison and our team today.
