Contents Introduction Wear Supportive Footwear Do Heat Therapy Do Cold Therapy Perform Restorative Exercises...

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Wendy Shields
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2 Contents Introduction Wear Supportive Footwear Do Heat Therapy Do Cold Therapy Perform Restorative Exercises Maintain Your Optimum BMI Wear Arch Support Sleeves Wear Supportive Insoles and Inserts Massage Your Feet Rest Your Feet Surgery...11 Product Recommendations Visit for all our heel pain solutions 2

10 Most Effective Treatments For Arch Pain Introduction The arches of the foot are responsible for supporting the foot and stabilising the weight of the body when in an erected position.

3 10 Most Effective Treatments For Arch Pain Introduction The arches of the foot are responsible for supporting the foot and stabilising the weight of the body when in an erected position. Comprised of tarsal and metatarsal bones and strengthened by ligaments and tendons, the foot arches are vital for the most fundamental actions of the body standing, walking and running so it s no surprise that they re prone to damage. There are 3 aspect of the arches medial longitudinal (inner arch), lateral longitudinal (outer arch) and anterior transverse each aspect presents a different set of characteristics and are supported by different muscles and ligaments. I - Anatomy of the Arch (ref: teachmeanatomy.info) Visit for all our heel pain solutions 3

4 The most common heel and arch conditions come as a result of damage (swelling, inflammation, prolonged pressure etc.) or a medical condition targeting the plantar fascia (the ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes and helps to support the arch) or an aspect of the arch. Some of the most common arch conditions include: Flat Feet (collapse of the longitudinal arches) High Arches / Cavus Foot Overpronation (the foot rolling inwards too much) Supination (the foot rolling outwards too much) Plantar Fasciitis (can affect the heel, arch and metatarsal region) The cause of these issues usually consists of wear and tear from sports, injury, increasing age, obesity, wearing unsupportive footwear, a medical condition or natural formation. In our free report, we aim to help you treat and relieve the aches and pain that come as a result of the above conditions. Here are the 10 most effective treatments for arch pain, researched and presented by Feet&Feet. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 4

5 II - Good trainers for supporting foot arches - Nike Air Presto 1. Wear Supportive Footwear Constant pressure from the shocks and impact of standing, walking, running and jumping can have severe lifelong effects on feet without the correct support, most notably the heel, arches and metatarsal region of the foot. In a large majority of cases, arch pain can be avoided by wearing the right type of footwear that has a sufficient amount of arch support, particularly if you re always on your feet and/or you do a lot of sports. Here are some tips on choosing supportive footwear: If you re a woman, avoid wearing high heels as much as possible. They do not have the necessary support to maintain the proper foot structure when walking. If your footwear doesn t quite have your desired foot support, then replace the footwear s current insoles with a different pair of inserts or insoles that have the right amount of support. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 5

6 Always try on new footwear before you buy. See how they feel when you walk, jog and jump/land in them. The aim is to see how much support they provide in a variety of different positionings. Avoid wearing footwear that are too tight (particularly around the toe area) or too loose. Stretch your toes out once you re in the shoes and see how much space there are for your toes. If they do not offer much space between your widest bones connecting your big toe to your smallest toe bone, then they re not suitable for you. Always shop for footwear at the beginning of your shopping trip and not the end. Our feet tends to swell up when walking for long durations; this does not give you an accurate feeling when you try on new footwear, as many times this leads to a placebo of comfort just because the shoes are cooler which seems more refreshing. 2. Do Heat Therapy Heat therapy is a popular method for treating painful foot arches most of these therapies are quick and easy, relaxing and very affordable. Some effective heat therapy methods include: Bathe your feet in hot water (either a tub or a home foot spa) for 10 to 15 minutes. You can end the session by soaking your feet in cold water for recovery (optional). Rest your feet on a heat pack or pad Heat therapy serves to relax and soothe the muscles and regress the pain. It also helps to increase the range of motion in the feet. You should avoid using heat therapy on an injury that is already warm to the touch. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 6

7 3. Do Cold Therapy Cold therapy is effective for reducing swelling and inflammation immediately after an injury. It does this by constricting the blood vessels and slowing down blood flow when applied. In turn, this limits the amount of fluid surrounding the injured area. Cold therapy can also temporarily relieve foot aches and pain by providing a numbing effect. Using the same methodology as the heat therapy, you can bathe your feet in cold water (with or without ice) or rest your feet on a ice pack or pad. It s always recommended to use cold therapy for up to 3-5 days after an injury. Avoid using cold therapy if you have stiff muscles and joints. III - Zoom in for a closer look. 4. Perform Restorative Exercises There are a wide variety of different exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles that support the arch. Some of the most popular are featured in the diagram above. All of them are fairly simple but some require an extra piece of equipment. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 7

8 Here are some other alternatives of the above exercises: The can in the Frozen Can Roll exercise can be replaced with a foot roller (some of which can be frozen). The Towel Pickup can be replaced with any kind of fabric such as a t-shirt or scarf The Achilles Stretch can be performed on stairs Please Note: If you re in too much pain when performing any of these exercises, it s better to stop and rest than to continue. 5. Maintain Your Optimum BMI While in an ideal world, you d want to maintain your optimum BMI (body mass index), in reality, this can be difficult. However, maintaining an acceptable diet and weight is manageable. This is essential not only for your health, but also for your feet as they re responsible for carrying the load of your body mass with every step you make. Pressure while running can increase the weight on your feet up to 4 times as much as your natural weight. With this in mind, our feet takes a lot of pressure and impact everyday, even without the extra body mass. This is why it s fundamental to help keep a balanced diet to decrease the chances of your bunion getting worse. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 8

6. Wear Arch Support Sleeves Generally cheaper than insoles and offering more flexibility, arch support sleeves are ideal if you want to support the arches throughout the day even when you re at

9 6. Wear Arch Support Sleeves Generally cheaper than insoles and offering more flexibility, arch support sleeves are ideal if you want to support the arches throughout the day even when you re at home, since they don t need to be inserted into footwear (though you can still wear them with footwear). Most arch support sleeves have a thick gel underside that supports the arch while the sleeve itself is made from flexible fabric. Though arch support sleeves are normally used for less severe cases of flat feet, plantar fasciitis, overpronation and supination, they re still a popular and effective method for providing arch support. 7. Wear Supportive Insoles and Inserts The arch plays a crucial role in supporting the foot and the weight of your entire body, so someone suffering from plantar fasciitis, flat feet, high arches, pronation or supination is in a vulnerable position. Many types of footwear, particularly fashionabe designs, do not integrate adequate heel and arch support for the foot. Though they may look nice and may even feel comfortable, they re not good for the structure of the feet in the long term. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 9

10 In this instance, special orthotic and condition specific insoles and inserts can replace the footwear s insoles. We recommended you to read our tips on choosing insoles for plantar fasciitis here. There s no need to spend hundreds or even thousands to get custom made insoles since there are a wide variety of insoles that cater to different conditions and preferences. 8. Massage Your Feet The arch of the foot (most notably the centre) is the perfect spot to massage since the muscles contained within that area are the hardest working muscles in your entire body. Massaging the arches of the feet relaxes and soothes the muscles, and it feels just as good mentally as it does physically. There are two types of foot massage go to a physiotherapy/reflexology clinic or do it at home. Both have their pros and cons, the most notable being cost and convenience. While it s nice to treat yourself to a professional foot massage once in a while, doing it at home is quick, easy and free (or can be inexpensive with equipment). Follow these steps for a simple self foot arch massage: 1. Make sure you re comfortably seated. 2. Rest your left or right foot on the opposite leg s knee. 3. Run both thumbs up and down the arch of the foot while applying pressure (the amount of pressure will depend on your feet s sensitivity) for 3-5 minutes. 4. Do the same for the opposite foot! You should try and do this massage every morning and night. Alternatively, you can always use a foot roller massager which essentially does the same thing with less effort involved on your behalf. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 10

If you re an active person, you should reduce your activities for at least 3 weeks to allow your feet to recover and strengthen.

11 IV - Resting your feet on a raised platform helps blood circulation from the feet to the legs. 9. Rest Your Feet Resting your feet is vital to help bring down the swelling as you take pressure away from them. If you re an active person, you should reduce your activities for at least 3 weeks to allow your feet to recover and strengthen. Even after this period, you should gradually allow your feet to regain their strength by massaging them and stretching/exercising them lightly. While resting, many people think that just being in a seated position is enough, but due to gravity, there s less blood circulation from the feet to the legs.this is where elevating your feet helps subsides the pressure. You should be lying down while having cushions or pillows prop up your feet. Your feet should be elevated higher than your heart with support under your knees for support. This will ensure blood gets circulated around your feet and legs better. 10. Surgery Surgery should only be used as a last resort for permanent arch conditions that are causing too much pain. One popular method of surgery is the plantar fasciitis Visit for all our heel pain solutions 11

12 release, which involves partially cutting the plantar fascia ligament to relieve tension in the tissue. Granted, surgery is expensive and can be daunting but success rates are moderately high, with approximately a 70-90% success rate. If those figures aren t enough to justify the expense, then you can always treat your arch pain with all of the above methods first. This is recommended in mild to medium cases as full recovery is still achievable at this point. Product Recommendations At Feet&Feet, we have a wide range of different products to treat various types of arch pain. We ve served thousands of customers across the UK and Ireland, with many attesting to the effectiveness of our products. Take a look at our range of arch pain solutions that are designed to relieve symptoms such as aches, cramps and pain, as well as preventing other related foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis in the heel. The road to recovery is often not straight and narrow, but long and bumpy. Our goal is to set you on the right path one that ensures a smooth journey to rehabilitation. Visit for all our heel pain solutions 12

It has been observed that 20-30% of children never form the arches or curves in both the feet or in just one foot.

It has been observed that 20-30% of children never form the arches or curves in both the feet or in just one foot. Introduction Flat feet, also known as Pes Planus or fallen arches, are a medical condition in which the arch of the foot is prone to suboptimal development. Normally, in this condition, the bottom of the