Surgeons Predict Foot Pain Will Increase ...( CHICAGO Dec. 16 -- You've signed up ...),Health

CHICAGO, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- You've signed up for the gym membership. You've bought new workout clothes and shoes. You've made a promise to yourself to stick to your New Year's resolution to exercise and lose weight.

You hit the gym, you work out hard for a week, then you wake up one morning and pain is shooting through your heel. Exercise now hurts so much that you stay home on the couch watching the new season of American Idol.

Soon after the last gulp of New Year's champagne, foot and ankle surgeons see the annual influx of patients with foot pain caused by exercise. Doctors interviewed by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) say the most common problems are heel pain, pinched nerves and sore Achilles tendons. They shared tips for preventing and treating these conditions.

Heel pain

Most heel pain cases are caused by plantar fasciitis. Foot and ankle surgeons recommend athletic shoes that support the arch and cushion the heel. Buy shoes designed for the sport. Over-the-counter orthotics may help some people.

To treat heel pain, first trying icing the bottom of the foot before bed.

Performing stretching exercises two to three times a day can also help. Sit on the floor barefoot with the knees straight. Hook a towel around the toes of the foot. Pull back on the towel, count to 10, then relax. Repeat several times.

Pinched nerves

Have your feet measured before you buy athletic shoes. Foot and ankle surgeons say many people wear shoes that are a half-size too tight. Exercising in tight shoes can cause a neuroma, or a pinched nerve. Patients with this condition say they feel pain in the ball of their foot and tingling in their third and fourth toes.

Achilles tendon pain

Instead of going from couch pota
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