Is foot pain normal?

Running, especially long distance running, takes a lot of mental strength.  When you have been pounding the pavement, by yourself, for 2-3 hours you need to block out any negatives and concentrate solely on getting the job done!  Now, runners are a funny bunch. All of this mental strength means they tend to ignore little niggles.  You know the ones. That dull ache about 10km in.  And then your foot or leg or knee feels a bit tender for the rest of the day but by the time you get up in the morning, you are fine!  Until you run again……

That is your moment!

What do I mean by moment? That is when you should be calling a Podiatrist. If you leave it a week, or worse a month when that slight occasional ache is now causing you to limp even at work, it is going to take a lot longer to get you back running to your best ability.  We have all been told the standard RICE – rest, ice, compression, elevation.  Unfortunately, when injuries are left to the point of you limping or struggling to walk, there is little else that can be done in the short term to settle down the injury.  BUT if you come in as soon as you feel discomfort, often a Podiatrist can prevent any injury from worsening and get you back to your best in days, rather than weeks and months.

Foot pain is not normal. Not at any age. Not if you run a 5km Parkrun per week or 100km a week!  There is always a cause and where there is a cause, there is a solution. The foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 ligaments, muscles and tendons. This makes it a complex puzzle to solve when we are looking at foot pain and that’s where a Podiatrist can help. Most runners are familiar with the common causes of pain – plantar fasciitis, achilles tendon injuries, shin splints etc. But there are actually hundreds (probably more like thousands) of different foot injuries.  At Brisbane Foot Clinic, our Podiatrists collectively have nearly 30 years of experience under their belt. If they haven’t heard of a condition – well we’d be surprised!

So remember, if you have the slightest niggle, get advice early.  There is nothing more demoralising than having to pull out of an event you have been training for due to injury.  We want to help you achieve your goals because there is nothing better than the flood of endorphins when you get your medal at the end of a great run!