Why do feet hurt after running?

Pour cool water over your feet after bathing.

Foot pain after running and at rest – causes and how to get rid of it

Many adults experience occasional or constant foot pain. They impair the quality of life, limit mobility and cause discomfort. Some people suffer from the pain for life. The causes can range from serious joint problems to psychosomatic illnesses. It's worth finding out why your feet hurt and how to provide first aid.

Leg pain in men and women

Leg pain in women is common during pregnancy. This is due to the weight gain and the heavy load on the joints, heart and blood vessels. Sometimes the discomfort is only felt in one leg because the enlarged uterus is pressing on large veins and arteries.

The pain is often caused by taking hormonal contraceptives. Acute pain occurs with neuropathy, diabetes, flat feet, knee and hip joint injuries. In women, varicose veins, other vascular disorders including valgus deformity of the first toe, synovitis of small ankles are not uncommon.

In women over 50 years old, lower limb pain is due to diseases of these systems:

Important: Due to the greater instability of the psyche, leg pain in women is often associated with psychosomatic disorders.

Pain in the legs in men more often than in women is due to degenerative-dystrophic pathologies of the spine, muscle inflammation, damage to the meniscus, tendons and ligaments.

Pain in the lower limbs is sometimes caused by physical overload, myositis, varicose veins and other vascular dysfunctions. Joint diseases also occur in people under the age of 35, but are more commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 50.

Psychosomatic disorders lead to foot pain less frequently in men than in women, but this is not excluded in chronic pain syndrome.

Why they occur when walking or at rest

If the muscles of the lower limbs hurt during movement, then this may be due to vascular abnormalities. Atherosclerosis of the femoral arteries is often diagnosed in people over the age of 50. This disease is characterized by an imbalance in the different types of cholesterol, which leads to the deposition of fatty deposits in the capillary wall. These gradually narrow in diameter and slow blood flow.

causes of pain

In most cases, the pain is caused by exertion. Arch problems occur in beginning runners when they exercise more than four times a week.

1. Achilles tendon strain. In this case, stepping on the sides of the heel is painful.
2. Inappropriate footwear. Running shoes should have a sole that gets thicker towards the heel.
3. Wrong foot alignment.
4. Excessive body weight. Being overweight increases the impact load on the feet.
5. Poor condition of feet.

Possible causes

1. Inflammation of the longitudinal fascia (plantar fasciitis). Pain in the morning or after a long rest. Gradually wears off at the end of the day. Significant discomfort when walking barefoot.
2. Achilles tendinitis. With this condition, the top of the foot is constantly painful. Unpleasant sensations also appear where the Achilles tendon connects to the heel bone.
3. Arthrosis. The main symptoms are pain during exertion and at night, as well as swelling and redness of the heel.
4. bursitis. In its course, there is swelling and reddening of the skin. The symptoms increase on palpation.
5. Podagra. The pain syndrome occurs on the heel, ankle and around the joint of the big toe.

Epidemiology/Etiology

This pathology is common in athletes involved in football, ice hockey, lacrosse, long-distance running, Australian football, cricket and other sports involving kicks. This is because all of these sports require repetitive, vigorous kicking, twisting, turning, and cutting, which are risk factors for schamalgia. Pubalgia is most common in men over the age of 40. A large part of this statistic can be explained by the fact that men are more likely to play sports that have a higher risk of developing labia minora.

A second reason is that in women, unlike in men, the rectus abdominis muscle is more firmly attached to the pubic symphysis. The third reason is that women have a wider pelvis and therefore a larger subpectoral angle, which allows for better protection of the pubic area. In other words, the anatomical and biomechanical characteristics of the female pelvis can stabilize the pubic area and reduce the risk of pubic arthritis.

There are a number of causes of pubic osteitis:

1. an imbalance between the adductors and abdominal muscles.

The pubic symphysis acts as the fulcrum of the pelvis and the structures that are damaged in the development of sports hernia pubalgia are intimately associated with it. The fibers of the rectus abdominis muscle, the paired tendon (a combination of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles), and the external oblique muscle together form the pubic symphysis. Also known as the aponeurosis of the rectus abdominis, this structure connects to the adductors and oblique muscles.

The front part of the pelvis, in the center of which is the pubic symphysis, is exposed to great stress during sporting activities. The opposition between the adductor longus muscle and the rectus abdominis muscle at the level of the pubic symphysis is believed to be the cause of pubic pain in athletes.

clinical picture

Pubic pain can be caused by activities such as running, kicking, cutting and twisting, sudden twists and changes of direction. In the USA, players who play soccer, ice hockey and American football are particularly affected. Many patients suffer from pubalgia symptoms for months or even years before a clinical diagnosis is made.

Athletes usually complain of unilateral pain in the lower abdomen and anterior groin that occurs during exercise. It is a deep, stabbing pain that can radiate to the thigh, lower back, lower abdomen, perineum, and scrotum. The patients mainly suffer from unilateral groin pain, which subsides with rest and recurs when the strain is renewed. They also complain of pain when sneezing or coughing. In this case, the unilateral pain can develop into bilateral pain.

Sometimes the pain comes on gradually, but 71 % of the athletes reported that it came on suddenly and after an event. One such event may be hyperextension and/or overabduction of the trunk, leading to increased tension in the pubic region.

Kachingwe and Grech described 5 signs and symptoms of sports pubalgia. This includes:

• Subjective complaints of severe pain in the groin or lower abdomen.
• The pain increases with fast running, kicking, 'scissors' and squats and decreases with rest.
• Painful sensation in the area of the pubic ramus on palpation (where the rectus abdominis muscle and/or associated tendon attaches).
• Pain when lowering the hip with resistance (hip flexion angles of 0, 45, and 90 degrees).
• Pain when performing twists with resistance.

Also read:

How does prolonged stress on the legs affect health?

An active lifestyle and physical activity are extremely important for maintaining good health and general well-being. However, when the legs are put under strain for a long period of time, it can lead to numerous health problems, most notably varicose veins.

Varicose veins in athletes: causes, symptoms, prevention

One of the main causes of varicose veins is a sedentary lifestyle. It is therefore advisable to exercise when the first symptoms appear. However, sport is not always the optimal solution: if the intensity is not right, it can worsen the condition of the veins.

Why do muscles hurt after exercise?

Muscle function is always an energy-intensive mechanism that requires an ATP molecule, which is produced when glucose is broken down. The source of glucose formation is the polysaccharide glycogen, which is found in large quantities in muscle fibers. During physical activity, high physical exertion associated with the breakdown of glycogen can lead to a lack of oxygen, so that the amount consumed increases significantly. In this case, the glycogen is not broken down aerobically (into water, carbon dioxide and ATP), but anaerobically. This variant of the process is not at all beneficial for the body, since the end product of glycolysis is lactic acid or lactate. The lactic acid gets deposited in the muscle tissue and puts pressure on the nerve endings, and you suddenly find that your legs or arms hurt after a workout. The bloodstream then cleans the accumulated acid and expels it naturally, but this process is preceded by uncomfortable sensations.

Many athletes often complain of sore muscles one or even two days after training. What is the reason for this? Don't blame lactic acid because your body has already broken it down. The cause of this pain is the so-called 'lactic acid'. Crepation effect – micro damage to the structural fibers of the connective tissue. The appearance of these tiny cracks encourages the body to more actively stimulate its healing functions. The inflammation caused by the tear is the cause of the pain.

2. pathological – It is pain that is associated with a direct health-damaging burden.

In their quest for quick results, many beginners neglect safety principles and overload their bodies with non-stop training. As a result, micro-tears in the cells don't have time to heal, they only get bigger, the body is more occupied with repairing and healing processes instead of providing proteins for muscle growth, and you lose muscle mass and experience pain.

How to reduce and relieve pain after exercise

Muscles hurt a lot after training - what to do? The question is logical and relevant for anyone who has experienced this uncomfortable feeling before, but we know the answer and we are happy to share with you how to relieve severe pain after exercise.

To relieve muscle pain, alternate between hot and cold water showers for 10 minutes. Don't like standing in the shower? Take a warm herbal or sea salt bath, leave for 20 minutes and finish with a jet of cold water. This relaxes your muscles and relieves the pain.

Swimming in the pool is another effective method. Just 15-20 minutes is enough to get rid of all ailments.

It is not for nothing that most sports centers are equipped with baths or saunas, because this heat therapy is excellent for recovering from strenuous exercise, relieving pain and improving general well-being.

A 30-minute massage is a great way to relax, not just for sore muscles, but for the whole body. If you can't turn to a professional, you can also do a self-massage with olive or coconut oil and a few drops of lavender oil. The main recommendation is to knead and massage the painful areas slowly and without sudden movements to improve blood circulation in this area. Special massage rollers can also be used - the treatment usually lasts no longer than 15 minutes.

You should start every workout with a warm-up to prepare your muscles for the hard work. As part of the warm-up, you can do cardiovascular and joint exercises. Static stretching and a shortened version of cardio exercises are great warm-ups.

An effective option for sluggish runners - today's market offers many anti-inflammatory creams that relieve running pain in a short time.

knee pain after running

Running is a natural human movement. Rarely does knee pain occur in a child who swims, runs, or jumps. This can be explained by the fact that the child weighs little, and the load on the knee is minimal. In addition, the child has a flexible tissue that has not yet gone through the so-called regression processes that are characteristic of adults. Once skeletal formation is complete in humans at 21-23 years of age, gradual involution (a process of reversal) begins.

With increasing age, the density and elasticity of the tissue changes. Unfortunately, the older a person is, the more likely they are to experience knee pain while running.

And the load on the knee also increases with age. This is not only due to the weight gain, but also to the change in the type and intensity of the load. The older a youngster becomes in sports, the greater the burdens that the coach imposes on them. For example, injuries and associated knee pain are more common. after an intense run than after a walk or a moderate run.

Knee pain after running is more commonly caused by injury. If you stumble, fall, or slip while running and injure yourself badly, the pain will come on immediately. It is stabbing and the knee often swells. If the pain comes on gradually while running, the soft tissue injury to the knee may be minimal. It can be an injury to one of the ligaments or an inflammation of the muscle attachment or the inner lining of the joint - the synovial membrane. In such a case, the inflammation, and with it the pain, gradually increases.

Incidentally, the synovial membrane of the knee joint is one of the most painful structures in the knee. So if you have knee pain after running, the first thing you should do is make sure your knee isn't inflamed. Inflammation in the knee is called arthritis.

diagnosis

To get to the bottom of the cause of knee pain after running, an MRI scan of the joint is performed. If an MRI scan of the knee is not possible, an ultrasound scan may be sufficient to start with. However, it's important to remember that x-rays are the gold standard for knee exams.

Many patients ask themselves: Why do I need two examinations? The fact is that an MRI scan of the knee and an X-ray scan of the knee are two completely different tests that provide completely different information. An X-ray initially shows signs of arthrosis (incipient arthrosis) or a metabolic disease. An X-ray is the first step in diagnosing joint disease. MRI cannot replace an X-ray in this regard. The two examinations (MRT and X-ray) complement each other. Especially when knee pain occurs after running, it is important to check that the soft tissues of the knee joint are intact and not traumatized. It is also useful to check the bone tissue. The relationship of the bony surfaces of the joint is best seen on an X-ray. Some conclusions can be drawn from the X-ray image about the biomechanics of the knee joint, the overloading of certain areas of the knee and many other things that are often not visible on an MRI scan. In some cases there are so-called stress fractures or the early development of arthrosis in the knee, osteoporosis or osteomalacia, which can affect the development of knee pain, especially after physical exertion. Only the X-ray allows the suspicion of a decrease in bone density (osteoporosis), which can also lead to knee pain after running.

The simultaneous use of X-rays and MRI scans of the knee joint allows for a comprehensive assessment of the joint condition, identifying the cause of the pain and initiating appropriate treatment of the joint pain. This standard of the simultaneous use of two diagnostic methods (MRI and X-ray) is used worldwide.

An outwardly healthy person may experience knee pain after running, even if there is no obvious injury. This is more likely if there is latent inflammation in the joint initially. Inflammation in the joint is arthritis (see above). This is how rheumatic knee disease begins. In this case, not only an MRI or ultrasound scan of the joint is performed, but also the cause of the inflammation in the joint is sought. To do this, the diagnosis is somewhat expanded and laboratory tests are carried out. This comprehensive approach to the diagnosis of knee pain helps identify the true cause of the condition: a metabolic disorder, the onset of a rheumatic disease, or pain caused by a trivial injury or physical strain on the knee while running.

The whole truth about feet

Heavy feet can indicate the development of a serious illness in the body. Often the disease has not yet had time to manifest itself, but the feet are already crying out for help. In this case, early diagnosis increases the chances of restoring the body's resources. But why can the feet be a barometer of the body's well-being? The feet are perhaps the most stressed part of the body, as they carry our entire body weight throughout the day, which is often excessive. On a typical work day, a person takes around 6,000-8,000 steps, which means they walk around the world several times in their lifetime!

In the course of evolution, man had to pay the price for his upright posture with numerous diseases. Blood congestion and swelling are due to the fact that the fluid (blood, lymph) cannot overcome gravity and rise to the heart without help. Therefore, the veins and lymphatic vessels have to work, contract, and in this they are actively supported by the muscles. What is stopping them from doing this? A sedentary lifestyle, wearing tight clothes and shoes, standing for long periods of time and, of course, being overweight. Also, the legs are the furthest from the heart in the entire body. If an unfortunate situation occurs, e.g. B. heart failure, it is easy to guess which part of the body is affected first!

When the ground leaves your feet

Pain in the legs is often a symptom of a disease of the arteries or veins of the lower limbs (inflow and outflow disease), but it can also be caused by diseases of the spine, nervous system and metabolism. Pain can occur when bones and joints, muscles and tendons, lymph nodes and blood vessels are damaged. A dangerous disease like diabetes sometimes begins with leg pain. Only later are high blood sugar levels and other symptoms of diabetes detected. First, the legs hurt, there are muscle cramps, weakness in the legs and dry skin. But a terrible complication - the diabetic foot - is just around the corner. In neglected cases, this pathology can lead to amputation of the lower limbs.

Feet swell, the skin on the feet becomes dry and irritated, constantly itchy and flaky. Calf muscle pain and cramps may occur, especially at night. Legs often become numb and cold, and a condition called paraesthesia (abnormal sensations associated with nerve endings) occurs. These can include tingling, tickling, tingling, etc. The more you do during the day, the more pronounced the pain symptoms are in the evening. However, the pain can also be constant and independent of the time of day. It is possible that the pain has already become a familiar companion in life and suddenly abruptly changes its character. Acute leg pain can indicate a vascular accident in which a large artery is blocked. In such a case, there are only a few hours when there is a chance to save a nutrient- and oxygen-deprived leg.

Why back pain doesn't usually occur

The spine is adapted to the load, so there is usually no spinal pain even after lifting weights, long walks or runs. Muscle pain can occur, but in such cases the pain is usually localized in the lateral part of the spine, lasts during the day and subsides after a night's sleep. They also have a completely different character, intensify with movement and can pass away at rest.

Spinal pain is more pronounced and may be shooting, is often located along the midline or on both sides of the spine, is accompanied by neurological symptoms, and can also occur at rest.

What are the causes of pain in the spine after exercise?

A pain syndrome in any part of the spine does not occur without a cause, but the manifestation of the clinical picture, especially after physical exertion, is often associated with an aggravation of already existing spinal lesions (osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthritis, herniated disc). The most common cause of pain is a herniated disc, which causes compression of the nerve roots and spinal cord. At rest, this condition may not be noticeable, but after exertion, the severity of the prolapse increases, resulting in a striking clinical picture.

Previous injuries and degenerative changes in the vertebrae can also cause post-exercise pain because they trigger inflammation or exacerbate degenerative-dystrophic changes.

When knees hurt after running: why and how to treat them effectively

Joggers often wonder why their knees only hurt after they exercise. After all, joints behave differently every other time - there is no pain and movement is restricted.

There can be many reasons for the painful sensations.

The first is that the joints are not used to increased physical activity. Running, jumping or squatting puts more stress on the joint than just walking.

The symptoms can also occur acutely after a ligament tear or stretching. They are accompanied by severe cramps, pain on palpation, localized swelling and limited range of motion. Ligament problems can occur as a result of a sudden jump in the load on the joint and as a result of various injuries.

Another cause of limb discomfort after a race can be a damaged meniscus. This cartilage is connected to other cartilage elements by ligaments. Sometimes, with a sudden, unfortunate movement, the ligament fibers can tear and the meniscus is unable to function normally. There is sudden cramping, swelling, and an inability to support the leg.

Patellar subluxation is also a common cause of pain. It's not a dangerous injury, but it's still uncomfortable and typical of runners. There are no particular complications. However, with repeated dislocations, the joint can become unstable and the kneecap can be re-injured. This can lead to the development of what is known as 'runner's knee', when the kneecap tissue is destroyed by frequent 'dislocating', causing a dull, aching ache and the joint not moving normally. Discomfort and malaise are common with this syndrome. Important: If the blood supply is cut off and the joint is not properly nourished, it can cause pain after running.

When is pain after running normal?

'Normal' knee pain can occur after various types of sport. They are a reaction to changes in the bones, joints, muscles and tendons.

You don't need to worry if:
1. The symptoms are mild and last only for a short time. Usually the thigh and ankle muscles are also the problem. This is a 'crepitus' that is caused by the production of lactic acid in the tissue. This pain will go away in 3 to 4 days or less depending on the runner's training: the more athletic the runner, the less crepitating the pain will be and the faster it will go away.

2 A fast-acting, aching pain without specific localization. It is felt under pressure and has no specific point.

However, this applies only to pain that is not intense and passes quickly, but also to beginner pain, since the muscles and discs of the spine always hurt after training due to lack of habituation.

• Why the legs hurt below the knees after running.
• Which muscles hurt after running?.
• Why do your calves hurt when you run?.
• Rudder bones hurt after running.
• Why the shin hurts.
• muscle work while running.
• Calf pain after running.
• The flexor muscles of the foot.