Arch strain occurs in the foot whenever the muscles of the feet are overstressed or unable to handle the workload put upon them. Arch pain is pain in the area of any of the arches of the foot: • Medial longitudinal arch: on the inner part of the underside of the foot, closest to the midline of the body between the bottom of the toes to the heel • Lateral longitudinal arch: on the outer part of the underside of the foot, towards the outside of the foot, between the bottom of the toes to the heel • Metatarsal arch: on the bottom of the ball of the foot between the big toe and the smallest toe The pain associated with arch strain may be dull, aching pain or sharp pain, depending on the condition. Burning sensations may also accompany the arch pain. Cause Arch pain may occur from many different causes: • Biomechanical problems of the foot • Foot injuries • Plantar fascitis, an inflammation of a band of tissue from the toes to the heel on the underside of the foot • Overpronation of the foot • Flat feet • Abnormally high arch in feet • Wearing high heels for too long What most of these causes of arch pain have in common is that there is an underlying biomechanical problem of the foot. This can easily be addressed by what is worn on the feet via shoes and inserts. Treatment & Prevention Arch pain due to any of these conditions needs to be examined by a medical doctor or a podiatrist so that the condition is remedied as soon as possible. The problem with untreated foot problems is that the longer they continue, the more damage that can happen to the body. For example, pain that starts out in the foot could end up in causing abnormal walking patterns that then lead to problems in the knee, then the hip, then the back, and neck. Wearing high heels creates faulty biomechanics of the foot, leg, knee, hip and lower back. Your feet are very important to take care of! Overpronation and flat feet can be remedied with foot inserts and orthotic arch supports. Foot injuries can be taken care of medically so that they will fully heal and the tissues of the foot will recover.
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