Do your feet hurt after work or after strenuous exercise? It's a common complaint. Optimizing your foot health is essential for all types of lifestyles. Whether you are an athlete who runs, someone who walks or stands a lot, or anyone who moves, you may end your day with aching and tired feet. Our feet are the foundation of our body, providing balance and keeping us moving. Sometimes there's no escaping the long hours your feet put in to keep you active. These tips will help you relieve tired, aching feet without putting you on the sidelines of your busy life.
Compression Socks
First and foremost, wearing compression socks is a fantastic way to help soothe tired, achy feet. If you're on your feet for a prolonged time, as so many of us are, blood can pool around your feet and ankles, causing discomfort. On top of this, the constant pressure on your veins can put you at risk of more severe conditions, such as varicose veins, fatigue, and cardiovascular disease, in later years.
Compression socks will help combat this by encouraging blood to travel to your heart rather than gathering and settling around your feet and ankles. Throughout the day, feet typically begin to swell. That's normal, but this swelling is intensified by excessive use.
To help battle the swelling (caused by a build-up of lymphatic fluids and blood), well-designed compression socks help push the mentioned liquids back up to your lungs and heart, ensuring consistent blood flow and less swelling.
Massage
Whether you treat your feet with a professional massage or do it yourself, improving circulation and kneading the muscles will alleviate tired and aching feet. You can massage your own feet by sitting in a chair and rubbing the bottom of your feet. Pull apart and bend your toes as you massage the feet. Foot rollers are tools when performing a foot massage at home. Oil or lotion can moisturize and lubricate your skin, making it easier to massage.
Additionally, try a massage ball. A foot massage ball is a small ball designed to be rolled back and forth beneath your feet to help relieve pain and tension in tired, achy feet. They are usually harder than foam balls, making them a better choice for rolling out knots and intense muscle tightness.
The most effective way to use a massage ball on your feet is to place it at the ball of your foot and roll it back and forth from your toes to your heel. Make sure you're sitting down and only massage one foot at a time.
Ice and Elevation
Ice is a tried-and-true foot remedy for swollen feet and other types of foot inflammation if your feet are inflamed. However, using ice in conjunction with elevation is even more effective. You can keep it simple by lifting your legs to be level with your hips, kicking it up a notch and lying down on the bed, sofa, or floor near the wall, and lifting your legs and leaning them against the wall with your feet high above your heart. The pooled blood and fluids will find their way back down, thanks to gravity!
Whatever you do, don't stick your feet in a warm bath if you're experiencing inflammation—heat will only increase blood flow and swelling.
Warm Bath or Foot Soak
If your feet ache and feel sore, but you know they aren't swollen or affected by inflammation, then a nice, long bath, soaking your feet in a warm foot bath, or even using a hot compress may help reduce and relieve your feet.
Sore or Pulled Muscles – Targeted Foot Stretches
Aside from rocking comfy and jazzy compression socks to the office, incorporating stretches into your daily routine can do wonders to improve your feet' flexibility. This is especially true if your feet are jammed into tight shoes or you balance high heels all day.
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Try the following stretch:
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, your feet pointing up.
- Rotate your feet clockwise and counterclockwise—pretend you're drawing circles with your big toe.
- Point your toes toward your body and hold for 10 seconds. With your toes pointing toward you, reach forward with your arms and try to touch your toes. You should feel the stretch in your calves and hamstrings, too.
- Point your toes forward and hold for 10 seconds.
- Repeat every day after work for improved flexibility.
What Else Can you Do To Relieve Tired, Achy Feet?
- Investing in high-quality arch support can take some extra effort, but it's worth every penny, as it helps relieve pain in your feet and ankles. It works by reducing the load on your Achilles tendon, improving your posture, and better absorbing high-impact shock. Usually, arch support takes the form of inserts that are placed into your shoes to help support the arches of your feet. Everyone has different arches, so finding the best arch support inserts for your feet is essential. If in doubt, seek professional advice.
- Try using night splints. Some people sleep with their feet pointed, which causes pain and cramping. Night splints are an affordable way to lock your feet into one position overnight. The splint holds the foot with toes pointed up, which applies a constant gentle stretch to the plantar fascia. Effective in treating plantar fasciitis and general foot pain, night splints have the potential to offer relief in your sleep!
- Don't forget pain management! Over-the-counter pain medication like acetaminophen can target pain, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen target pain and inflammation. These options offer relief with few side effects, but they may need to be taken for an extended period to combat chronic foot pain. Talk to your doctor before regularly taking any medication.
When you are tip-toeing due to painful, tired, or achy feet, we hope that we've been able to help you find rest and relief. When recovering, don't settle for plain or boring compression sock therapy. Best Compression Socks Sale is crazy about everything foot and leg, including expertly-designed compression in bold, fun, unique designs.