Walking is one of the most basic physical activities to meet daily mobility needs. This is also the reason why the pain caused by walking will affect our quality of life, especially for people whose work requires them to stand and move continuously. Among the pain caused by walking, the most common is ankle pain.
Why do ankles hurt?
According to a survey by the American Pediatric and Medical Association (APMA), up to 77% of American adults have experienced ankle pain from walking at least once in their lives.
Although any pain can cause discomfort, ankle pain will have a greater impact due to its direct impact on the need to move around in daily activities and livelihoods.
Ankle pain, temporary treatment and prevention, you need to know the cause of the pain.
There are many reasons why a healthy person may experience ankle and foot pain after walking. Some of the most common cases are caused by sudden intense physical activity and plantar fasciitis – which is inflammation of the ligament connecting the heel bone and the toes.
Signs of pain in plantar fasciitis can occur anywhere between the heel and the toes.
In addition, in some people with naturally flat feet or high arched feet, the tendon and muscle system will be more stretched and cause pain when moving. Although flat feet and high arches are innate, with the development of medicine and rehabilitation, patients do not need to endure the pain caused by muscle tension.
How to avoid ankle pain when walking?
Pain only occurs when there is damage to the components in the ankle and foot joints. Because injuries often come unexpectedly, while not everyone is equipped with self-protection reflex skills like professional athletes.
Some notes to protect your ankles:
1. CHOOSE A PAIR OF QUALITY SHOES
You need to choose a good pair of shoes if you choose walking or jogging as your main sport to exercise. A quality pair of shoes has the right size and appropriate foot cushioning to reduce shock when the foot hits the ground. A study in the US said that many cases of ankle injuries stem from inappropriate sports equipment, especially shoes.
Before jogging or walking, you need to find out whether your shoes are designed for running purposes, because each different sport will have corresponding types of shoes.
2. AVOID USING HIGH HEELS WHEN GOING TO WORK
Although no one uses high heels to exercise, it is often difficult for women to avoid wearing high heels at work.
When wearing high heels, the ankle is constantly in a straight position. In terms of anatomy, the ankle joint in the extended position will be the loosest. This explains why many people sprain their ankles when landing in a straight ankle position.
When wearing high heels at work, women will experience micro-injury because the ankle joint is unstable, and this pain will become worse when women walk for exercise.
3. STRETCH THE HEEL TENDON AFTER THE WORKOUT SESSION
One of the culprits causing ankle pain in walkers is the Achilles tendon. This is one of the strongest tendons in the body. Thanks to the Achilles tendon, we can run and walk. However, because it is a large tendon, when running, the tendon contracts excessively, causing force imbalance with other tendons in the ankle. This causes biomechanics in the ankle to change, leading to runners experiencing vague pain in the front of the ankle.
To stretch your Achilles tendon, you can do it by sitting with your legs straight and using your hands to pull your toes toward your body. Maintain this position for 20 seconds then switch sides.
4. WAYS TO REDUCE ANK PAIN THAT CAN BE APPLYED AT HOME
Ankle pain when walking can be initially treated at home. In many cases, if treated properly early, pain problems can be completely reduced without needing to go to the hospital.
As soon as you feel pain in your ankle, what you need to do is apply ice for 20 minutes, then rest for about 1 hour before applying again.
Note that the ice is wrapped in a towel so that it does not come into direct contact with the skin.
However, if the pain continues after one to two days of using the medication, the patient should consult a sports medicine doctor before participating in the next training session.
Above is iCCARE’s sharing about measures to protect your ankles when walking. Hopefully through this article readers have found useful information for themselves. Wishing you a good day.
iCCARE aims to become a leading clinic system that brings new values and lifestyles to Vietnamese people in spine treatment and health care. Selectively apply scientific and benign treatment and health care solutions to protect optimal health for Vietnamese people.
If you have any questions about bone and joint diseases and services of iCCARE CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC, please contact hotline 096 393 1999 for specific advice.
