Causes of Foot Pain from Work Safety Boots

Foot pain is a relatively common side-effect of long-term use of commonly made work boots. The condition is a direct result of overloading the feet due to excessive strain. Some of the most commonly known risk factors include:

• Uncomfortable Work Safety Boots

  • Commonly made work safety footwear is the leading cause of pain in manual labourers. This happens because the rigid and solid material meant to shield from work-related accidents ends up severely restricting the natural movement of the feet and the joints.
  • The shoes encourage unhealthy proprioception that exerts unnatural and excessive pressure on the feet. In the long run, this can lead to developing complications in the feet that lead to persistent sharp pain and discomfort.

• The Level of Intensity Involved in the Occupation

  • It is noted that the stress on the feet is proportional to the progression of the condition.
  • The more intense the physical labour or the longer the time spent in uncomfortable work safety boots, the higher the chances of developing symptoms and progressing degeneration.
  • Many worksites where people are on their feet all day are where this occurs more frequently.
• Unhealthy Proprioception exacerbates the strain on the ankle in addition.
• Inherent malformations in the feet and certain other hereditary factors can make certain patients especially vulnerable.

Chronic Case Symptoms

Long term neglect and progression of the disease can result in chronic cases of pain in the foot. There are real risks of developing complications like:

• Development of bone growths on the surface of the heel, called Heel Spurs. These can be very painful and leads to significant swelling around the heel.
• Development of a bulge on the heel bone due to an abnormality in the heel bone and the soft tissue in the feet. This condition is referred to as Haglund’s syndrome.
• Development of inflammation of the tendon plate under the sole of the foot, known as plantar fasciitis.

Immediate medical treatment is highly advised to prevent the long-term degeneration of the feet. Early diagnosis is the best prognosis!

Diagnosis of Foot Pain Due to Work Safety Shoes

An orthopedic specialist or GP is the best medical practitioner to seek advice from when experiencing foot pain. A thorough physical check and patient history help understand the risk factors on an individual basis. In this case, an examination of a patient’s occupation can be valuable.

Sophisticated imaging technology like X-rays can be used to determine the location and progression of the bone growths on the heel bone or diagnose Haglund’s syndrome. Together this information can help form an effective prognosis.

Foot Pain - Work Safety Boots Treatment

Treatment for pain in the foot is mostly conservative and is centred around alleviating the symptoms and taking measures to prevent the progression of the condition.

The level of treatment mainly depends on the progression of the symptoms and a study of the complications caused by the disease. Some of the more useful and effective ways to manage the condition include:

• Lifestyle Changes to Relieve the Foot

  • It is crucial to relieve the foot from the excess strain it is under. Well, fit work boots along with special socks that provide heel support (Training compression socks) can help provide support and relief to the heel.
  • Reducing your body weight and combating obesity help to reduce the weight on your feet and greatly reduces the strain on the heel bone. Initially, a change to a healthier diet and later controlled physiotherapy can provide wonderful results.

• Prescribed Medication

  • When there is significant inflammation in the feet, patients may find it very beneficial to use prescribed anti-inflammatory and analgesics. Mild cases are often managed conservatively with cooling and ice packs and mild anti-inflammatories to manage the swelling temporarily.
  • In advanced patients with chronic symptoms, local injections of Cortisone are more effective.

• Physiotherapy Exercises

  • It is highly recommended that the muscles in the calf and foot are regularly exercised to build strength.
  • Developing these muscles can help reduce the stress on the bone as well as combat the progression of the condition. Multiple sessions a day for a few months can rapidly improve a patient’s prognosis.

• Medical Orthopedic Insoles

  • Optimally shaped medical orthopedic work safety shoe inserts are very effective as both a preventative measure and to slow down the degeneration of the Calcaneus (heel bone).
  • The insoles help protect the foot from excess stress as well as encourage the natural movement of the foot. The insoles can also serve as a comfortable cushion for patients with inherent malformations in the structure of the foot.
  

• Surgical Intervention

  • Only in rare cases of heel spurs or advanced Haglund’s syndrome does surgery become necessary. Most cases of the condition are managed conservatively.
  • Some patients might require surgery to correct the excess bone growth or correct the bulge to restore structure and mobility to the foot. However, surgery is a risky procedure and is usually the last resort to provide relief to a patient.