Foot pain

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xiochie
xiochie Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started walking my 10 thousand steps and have been in agonizing foot pain. Has anyone else experienced this? Did the pain go away?

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,964 Member
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    You should increase the amount you walk gradually. What were your base steps before you started doing 10,000?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,944 Member
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    What kind of foot pain are you having? Where is it? Bone, skin, tendons?

    I jumped right in when I started exercising (at 210 pounds) and didn't experience foot pain. Are you significantly over-weight? Are you taking rest days?
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Aside from the previous comments and questions, are you wearing proper (supportive) footwear?
  • Allaesa72
    Allaesa72 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    I have heal spurs to keep an eye on. I wear supportive shoe inserts. My feet pain shows up mostly at the end of the day after I've been sitting for 15 minutes or so. Hurts so bad when I get up. I have been working on healing them for a year. I never walk without shoes on, even if it's just flip flops. Ice and an inflammatory works wonders.
  • PapillonNoire
    PapillonNoire Posts: 76 Member
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    I developed plantar fasciitis after doing a lot of barefoot exercising. Now I am never without super supportive footwear, and I use compression socks whenever I get a flare up. There are stretches that help as well if this turns out to be your issue too.
  • Beverly2Hansen
    Beverly2Hansen Posts: 378 Member
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    Yes I have heel, arch and ankle pain daily in my right foot. I use a foot brace, muscle rub and stretches.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Depends on the type of pain. I experienced plantar fasciitis and managed to damage my achilles just by walking too much. The plantar fasciitis disappeared once I recovered (and ramped up my activity gradually after that), but the achilles is chronic now. It doesn't normally hurt, but if I cross a certain activity threshold it gets inflamed again and the pain resurfaces. It has been nearly 10 years now and I still can't go on a long hike because of it.

    Don't underestimate walking just because it's low impact, overuse injuries can still happen. Take a good rest until the pain goes away (hopefully) then start increasing your steps gradually and wear supportive shoes.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    If it is heel pain, check out these two plantar fasciitis threads:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10828982/c25k-with-plantar-fasciitis
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10832183/damn-plantar-fasciitis/p1

    I did this video last night and it helped tremendously:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQhtavGoL6A
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 875 Member
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    The answer to this is highly dependent on what type of pain it is.

    Also, did you go from NO walking to walking 10,000 steps per day? That's too big a leap. Rule of thumb is increase your activity (distance, pace, difficulty) by 10%.

    You may need to invest in a better pair of shoes.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,964 Member
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    westrich20940 wrote: »
    The answer to this is highly dependent on what type of pain it is.

    Also, did you go from NO walking to walking 10,000 steps per day? That's too big a leap. Rule of thumb is increase your activity (distance, pace, difficulty) by 10%.

    You may need to invest in a better pair of shoes.

    To be clear, that should be by a max of 10% per week.
  • patriciafoley1
    patriciafoley1 Posts: 137 Member
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    If plantar fasc. Then stretch your foot. Heels down, toes up
  • Walkywalkerson
    Walkywalkerson Posts: 453 Member
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    Asics trainers saved my feet from years of pain -
    I have flat feet and have always had problems with any type of shoe.
    If you can find an Asics shop they will measure your gait and recommend the best shoe fit for support.
    If not then there are home tests you can do - just Google it.
    They are a little pricey - but in my opinion they are worth every penny!
    I walk 6 - 10 miles most days now without any problems.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 875 Member
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    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    westrich20940 wrote: »
    The answer to this is highly dependent on what type of pain it is.

    Also, did you go from NO walking to walking 10,000 steps per day? That's too big a leap. Rule of thumb is increase your activity (distance, pace, difficulty) by 10%.

    You may need to invest in a better pair of shoes.

    To be clear, that should be by a max of 10% per week.

    Correct. Up to 10%. I was assuming the OP had increased much more than that. Sorry for the confusion!
  • Xerogs
    Xerogs Posts: 328 Member
    edited September 2021
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    I used to have really bad foot pain (plantar fasciitis) and was limited to Skechers memory foam type shoes for years but they always wore out in about 3-6 months. Last year I went to Xero Shoes (minimal shoe) after listening to a podcast where they spoke about foot strength, balance, and flexibility. I took my time with the new shoes and there were moments where I questioned by decision to go with a minimal shoe but now my feet don't hurt and I have better balance for sure. I average about 11000 steps per day and I am overweight but working towards losing lbs.

    One thing that really helped me on this minimal shoe journey was a antifatigue mat (mines a topo mat) that I use with my sit/stand desk at home that helps stretch out my feet and legs while I work. Plus I kind of had to relearn how to walk correctly and be mindful of what I was stepping on but these days I don't even think about it. I've removed the insole in these shoes over time to give them more flexibility. It took almost a year to get to this point though.

    Some people need supportive shoes but in my case it was the exact opposite. It didn't happen over night but my feet have never felt better.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,964 Member
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    westrich20940 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    westrich20940 wrote: »
    The answer to this is highly dependent on what type of pain it is.

    Also, did you go from NO walking to walking 10,000 steps per day? That's too big a leap. Rule of thumb is increase your activity (distance, pace, difficulty) by 10%.

    You may need to invest in a better pair of shoes.

    To be clear, that should be by a max of 10% per week.

    Correct. Up to 10%. I was assuming the OP had increased much more than that. Sorry for the confusion!

    I just wanted to add the extra/clarifying language for OP and any lurkers. I figured that was what you meant, and like you, I'm thinking it's at least likely OP did a bigger jump -- although of course the other ideas, like bad footwear, that others have suggested are also possibilities.
  • mikhnpaitsmum
    mikhnpaitsmum Posts: 119 Member
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    Mighy be worth a visit (if affordable or under benefits) to see a physio.
  • cryonic_273
    cryonic_273 Posts: 81 Member
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    Yes - I was doing about 6-8000 steps a day and wanted to take it up a notch, did 4 days of 16000 steps and it was fine till day 4 - no muscle pain but knees really started to feel painful. Ive dialed it back and am going to increase slowly now.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    xiochie wrote: »
    I started walking my 10 thousand steps and have been in agonizing foot pain. Has anyone else experienced this? Did the pain go away?

    Really depends on the cause of the foot pain. Could be bad shoes...could be doing too much all at once if you're not used to being on your feet and walking a lot. Could be a condition like plantar fasciitis or some other kind of foot tendonitis.

    "Foot pain" is rather vague. Sore feet from walking around a lot is fairly common for people who don't do it much (think a day at Disney when you're not used to being on your feet all day). But there's a difference between "sore" and actual pain which would indicate some other kind of distress or injury.

    I have both plantar fasciitis (can be one foot or the other or both) as well as posterior tibial tendinitis (right foot only). I don't flare up much though as I make sure to do my calf stretching and rolling the arches of my feet regularly and wear shoes commensurate with the condition. Mine are caused largely by very high arches and a tendency for my calves to get tight.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 825 Member
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    It might be worth stopping into a running store and getting fitted for good shoes. They can analyze your walk and determine which type of support might be best for you.

    If the pain continues or doesn't abate after resting for a week or two, I would check with a doctor. There are a multitude of reasons for foot pain. If you don't know the root of what's causing the pain, it's nearly impossible to correct it.

    I've had everything from plantar fasciitis to posterior tibial tendonitis to arthritis in my feet. Plantar fasciitis was the easier to treat (rest, supportive shoes, stretching, taping) and posterior tibial tendonitis required a "walking" boot for 2.5 months. The arthritis requires a bone fusion and non weight bearing/hard cast for 2.5 months. I'm waiting until after the holidays for the surgery! But as you can see, you really need to know the cause of the pain to effectively treat it.

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