Running is a sport full of repetitive injuries, and no place in your body takes more of a beating as an athlete than your feet. When you get foot pain after running, it is not uncommon for that to become ankle, knee, or hip issues. The reason for this is because all force that the body has to absorb running goes through your feet. Foot pain after running is a sign that your feet are not absorbing and distributing force properly. It won’t be long until the problem works its way up your body. One of the best things you can do when you experience foot after pain running takes it seriously and look for a solution early.
Causes of Foot Pain After Running
The first thing you need to understand about the feet is that they have a lot going on. When you break down the anatomy stats of the feet, it is quite impressive.
The Feet Consist of
- 26 Bones
- 33 Joints
- 100 Muscles, Tendons, and Ligaments
Once you understand how much there is going on in the foot, you quickly realize that there can be a lot of different problems for an athlete. When you run, you have 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments working together to help you keep moving forward.
The Different Causes of Foot Pain After Running Can Be Extensive
- Achilles tendon issues
- Shin splints
- Bone spurs
- Broken ankles
- Bones broke in feet
- Broken Toes
- Bunions
- Bursitis which is joint inflammation
- Tendinitis
- Stress Fractures
- Flat Feet
- and more…
The problem is that with such a long list how can you possibly pinpoint what is going on with your fee and get that pain to go away? The truth is that it is hard to know precisely what is wrong with your feet on your without seeing a healthcare provider. There are things you can do to help the big picture though.
Self Treatment to Help With Foot Pain After Running
There are some different tools that you can use that will help relieve some foot pain after running that you may be experiencing. The goal of using these different balls and rollers is to break up the individual structures of the foot. There are 26 small bones, but sometimes they get stuck and start operating as one structure. When this happens, your foot is not able to function how it was meant to.
These bones also help massage the small foot muscles so that if they are tight, they can loosen up and allow the foot to breathe. When you roll for foot pain after running, you can also closer to your heals to help with plantar fasciitis
Tennis Ball/Golf Ball
The tennis ball and golf ball is not the best option, but it is better than not doing anything. A lot of runners will run through injuries and pray they magically get better. Things rarely work out that way because hope is not a strategy it is a starting point.
The problem with the tennis ball is that it is too soft to relieve a lot of foot issues, and the golf ball is too small in size. The foot needs a more prominent ball, so it can bend around it properly to help break up all of the little bones in your feet.
Pros
- Easier tools to get your hands on
- Most people already own golf balls and tennis balls
- Easy to travel with
Cons
- Too soft
- Too small
- Not the most effective use of time but better than doing nothing
Foot Gym
The foot gym is where you start to make an impact on your feet. A foot gym is a diverse tool that can do a lot to improve foot pain after running. The tool is built for stretching, toe problems, ankle issues, plantar fasciitis and pretty much every other major foot problem.
Pros
- Most diverse foot tool on the market
- Can help with the most lower leg injuries
- Has a slant board for stretching
- Can grow with the product as you get stronger
Cons
- Can be expensive
- Not portable
The Oh Ball
The Oh Ball is the weirdest tool on the list with the most surprising impact. It is a ball with two strings coming out of the sides. When you first look at it seems like there is nothing special about this tool, but that could not be further from the truth. The ball has the size of a golf ball but the firmness of a tennis ball. The strings also prevent the ball from slipping a rolling away. The strings allow you to dig deeper into sore spots than you could without the strings.
Pros
- Has great Amazon reviews
- There is also a ball made for the freezer called the SnOhball
- Perfect size and firmness to relieve foot pain when running
- Easy to carry with you
Cons
- Ball is expensive
- Not diverse for lower leg injuries
Low Leg Self –Treatment for Foot Pain After Running
Above we attacked a lot of the things you can do on your own to directly target foot pain when running. The truth is that some of the issues with your feet may stem from areas above your feet. If you have tight calves for example that will pull up on the fascia that runs around your Achilles through to the bottom of your feet.
Areas to Target With Treatment
- Calves
- Soleus
- Posterior tibialis
- Lower hamstring
The Best Way to Deal With Foot Pain After Running
As state earlier, the foot has a lot going on with so May bones, joints, and muscles. The best way to deal with foot pain after running is to see a healthcare provider. The reason you want to look at a healthcare provider is that they will be able to identify better what the cause of your pain is.
For example, you may need orthotics or may be wearing the wrong pair of shoes for your feet makeup. An excellent healthcare provider will be able to identify the problem and have diverse understandings of methods to make the problem go away.
As an athlete is essential that you see providers that like working with athletes. The reason for this is because athletes have a much different goal when seeking treatment. An average person just wants the pain to go away; an athlete wants to perform better. It’s the reason that most athletes won’t even seek help until they feel that their performance is on the decline because of their injury.
How Do You Find Excellent Healthcare Providers for Foot Pain After Running?
9INE POINT health is the best place to start this search. 9INE POINT Health connects injured athletes with the best healthcare providers for your needs. If you need to search for a specific type of healthcare providers that specializes in feet, 9INE POINT Health can help you find the best local solutions. If you are not sure what you are looking for, our algorithm can help you to figure out which provider you should see.
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
