The feet form the end of our body, which has to absorb the stress caused by running movements and counteract it accordingly. The feet not only have to be flexible but also stable to fulfill this function. If there are complaints such as pain or burning in the sole of the foot, this could restrict walking. The causes of this, when a visit to the doctor is recommended and what can be done about it is described in the following section.
Burning and pain when walking/running/hiking – Possible causes
In addition to a certain degree of flexibility, the arch of the foot must also be able to withstand loads that arise when standing, running, walking or hiking. The arch on the sole of the foot is maintained by small muscles, tendons and ligaments. If the arch of the foot is weakened and can no longer maintain its shape and stability, pain and burning sensation may occur in the sole of the foot.
The joints and muscles are put under increased strain when standing and walking and can cause these complaints. A weakening of the arch of the foot is caused by a lack of demand on the feet. For example, the affected person no longer walks long distances and thus stops the build-up of the arch of the foot.
An incorrectly selected footwear is also a possible cause of the complaints. For example, shoes are used when walking or hiking, which are not optimal for the individual foot and prevent the formation of the arch of the foot. A running analysis by an orthopedic specialist can help here.
How can I treat it myself?
In order to be able to treat pain and burning in the sole of the foot itself, exercises to build up the muscles and tendons on the arch of the foot help to better distribute the pressure loads on the foot: Perform the exercises more often while standing or running, in order to do something about the pain and burning in the sole of the foot during the activity. In addition to the exercises, try to include more movement in your everyday life and run a lot to support the arch of the foot in its development. Sport of any kind should be practiced regularly in combination with suitable footwear.
Have your footwear checked in a shoe store by qualified personnel to detect any defects in your footwear and find the right footwear for you.
- In order to rebuild the arch of the foot, both soles of the feet are placed completely on the floor. It is concentrated on three points on the sole of the foot.
The first point is the heel, which should always remain on the ground. The second point is the inside of the soccer below the big toe. The third point is the entire outer side of the sole of the foot.
All three points should remain on the ground while the inside of the foot is lifted for a few seconds to build up the arch of the foot.
- Furthermore, the knees can be used to further lift the inside of the foot. The knees are simply turned outwards, while all three points of the sole of the foot should remain on the ground.
- Massages on the foot can stimulate the blood circulation again and relax the muscles and tendons. For this purpose, hedgehog balls or stones can be turned over on which the sole of the foot is positioned. Then you start to make circular movements with your foot on these objects. During the circling movements, pressure is applied to the object to have a massaging effect.
- The application of kinesio-tapes or splints can also help to stabilize the arch of the foot.
