When walking hurts

Proven content

Walking difficulties can have many causes as a result of a limp. Some of them are completely harmless to health and can be quickly eliminated using home methods and over-the-counter remedies. However, when this ailment persists, and in addition it is accompanied by other disturbing symptoms, it is necessary to contact a doctor.

As a rule, limping on one of the legs, we know the cause of our ailment. Most often, the fault is the result of our carelessness, failure to adapt to the prevailing weather or adhering to the applicable fashion in pointed shoes at all costs. The case, however, takes a more serious turn when, after a medical diagnosis, it turns out that the limping is a symptom of a serious illness.

Swelling and chafing

Fatigue and swelling of the feet is one of the most common causes of limping. Swelling occurs when blood or lymph circulation is disturbed. Relief in this situation comes from walking, exercising (e.g. bikes) or lying down with your legs up. You can also dip your feet in lukewarm water with the addition of salt and apply ointments or creams to alleviate such ailments. If these treatments do not help, see your doctor. The aforementioned symptoms may be an expression of serious systemic diseases, e.g. cardiovascular failure of various origins.

Troublesome and really painful is the rubbing of the feet, which often happens after putting on new shoes. If it is a simple abrasion, it is enough to disinfect the sore area with hydrogen peroxide, dry it and leave it to heal spontaneously.

However, as a result of skin chafing, blisters may appear. In such a case, they should be disinfected, covered with a drying agent, e.g. zinc ointment, and a plaster should be applied. The latter may be regular or a blister specifically designed (eg Compeed). It accelerates healing, reduces pain, does not come off in the bath.

Corns and corns

Corns can also cause limping. Wearing fashionable but too tight narrow-toed shoes squeezes your toes. As a result, thickenings and corns form on them. This ailment can be reduced by using a special pelotte (eg Scholl). The self-adhesive pad supports the foot arch and prevents it from falling down. The inserts will also be helpful. We recommend, for example, orthopedic insoles for FootWave heel spurs, which at the same time prevent the formation of corns and calluses. We also recommend Gel heel pads for heel pain and FootWave SOFTY spurs. If this does not help, you will need to see an orthopedist. An indirect solution is to cover the sore spot with a blister cushion, which will reduce the pressure exerted by the footwear.

You can remove the corns yourself thanks to the corns with salicylic acid patches. Before applying, soak your feet in warm water.

Remember that corns are not removed with pliers and scissors, as this can cause infection. In the case of large and deeply ingrown corns, it is better to get rid of them at a pedicurist. To avoid them, you should wear comfortable shoes and lubricate your feet with a cream that softens the epidermis.

In order to reduce foot pain when wearing high-heeled shoes, it is worth buying orthopedic insoles for FootWave LADY HIGH HEEL pins or Orthopedic insoles for high heels and LADY VERSA wedges, which discreetly improve the comfort of walking and prevent corns and various types of foot deformities.

Torn muscles and tendons

Awkward movement, sudden jerks or falls can cause not only a limp, but also leg pains and swelling that accompany it. This could be due to torn muscles, tendons or ligaments.

In the case of fresh injuries, pain relief will be provided by the action of cold. It causes vasoconstriction, inhibits inflammation, relaxes muscles, and has anti-swelling properties. You can, for example, use an ice massage that relaxes the muscles. Covering the sore area with cryogel bags cooled in the freezer (reusable) also gives good results. Before doing so, however, you should protect the skin from frostbite by applying a piece of linen or a paper towel. The treatment with the use of cold should last 15–20 minutes.

When a tendon is torn, the joint is hot, red and swollen. In such a situation, cold compresses as well as painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. salicylates, ibuprofen, naproxen) given every 4 hours may be helpful. Medicines should be taken with food or washed down with a glass of milk to protect the stomach from irritation. If the stress persists within four days, treatment under the supervision of a doctor is required.

Severe pain in the calf (like being struck by a stone) may be a symptom of an Achilles tendon rupture. In this case, surgical intervention is often necessary.

Prophylactically against injuries, it is worth using FootWave SPORT orthopedic insoles for athletes and runners.

Atherosclerosis

The fun-sounding word “claudication” comes from Latin and means limping. Now, however, the meaning has changed somewhat. It is assumed to be discomfort or pain related to walking.

Intermittent claudication refers to pain in a limb, the intensity of which forces you to stop. It is triggered by physical exertion, but it gives way in a state of rest. Its cause is a narrowing of the lumen of the artery. Pain may appear in the hip, thigh or lower leg depending on the location of the narrowing.

Muscle atrophy may also occur above the site of the stricture. Their cause is the so-called obstructive arterial occlusive disease, which impairs the flow of blood to the arteries of the lower extremities. The risk group includes smokers, people with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol levels, hypercoagulability and the elderly.

Intermittent claudication is a condition that should not be taken lightly, especially if it occurs after a heart attack or stroke. Congestion in the limbs is one of the consequences of atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis). The disease should be diagnosed as soon as possible, because it gives a chance for effective pharmacological treatment and avoiding surgery.

The therapy consists in improving the blood supply in the area of ​​impaired blood supply and treating possible complications. Prevention is important, i.e. eliminating risk factors – balancing sugar levels, blood pressure, shedding excess weight. Blood circulation can be improved with appropriate vasodilators, “blood thinners”, lowering cholesterol levels, inhibiting blood cell viscosity and protecting the vascular wall. Exercise, which improves circulation, is important in preventing the development of atherosclerosis. Sometimes a surgical procedure is necessary to reconstruct the narrowed vessel and suture a vascular prosthesis.

Contrary to popular belief, atherosclerosis does not attack until after the age of 60. The age of patients is systematically decreasing. Sometimes, XNUMX-year-olds already have significant changes in the arteries. In their case, the disease is simply diagnosed much later.

Degenerative changes

Pseudo-claudication, one of the symptoms of which is limping, does not only cause atherosclerosis. It can also be a signal of degenerative changes in the spine, aneurysms, inflammatory changes in the veins, and primary tumors of the arteries. The most common cause is compression of the roots of the spinal nerves by the hernia of the nucleus pulposus located in the spine. The pain comes in a few steps and is felt along the back of the limb, not in the muscles of the shin. It does not pass at rest, it can only recede in the supine position with the right position of the spine. Pain associated with damage to the peripheral nerves is sometimes observed in patients with diabetes.

For neurogenic pains, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. An important factor in improving are proper exercises to strengthen the muscles of the torso.

Pseudo-lesions are sometimes the result of osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Pain is usually stronger at the beginning of the movement, and its intensity varies with the degree of stress on the joint as well as with changes in the weather. However, it does not disappear after stopping, it disappears slowly after taking a sitting position, lying down or leaning on a cane or against a wall. In arthritis, the cartilage tissue is destroyed and the underlying bone is exposed. As a result, there is a “roughness” and deformation of the surface of the joint, making walking more difficult. The leg may appear shorter and appear weakened. Osteoarthritis of the hip joint affects mainly the elderly, but it also affects younger people, e.g. suffering from rheumatoid diseases.

There are no drugs that improve the structure of the damaged joint. In acute conditions, analgesics and anti-inflammatory preparations are used. Physiotherapeutic treatments that reduce muscle tension are also recommended. With large lesions, it may be necessary to implant a hip implant.

For example, orthopedic insoles may be helpful in walking. Try dynamic orthopedic insoles – FootWave SUPPORT 3/4 or Dynamic orthopedic insoles – FootWave SUPPORT in the full version.

Stroke

Limping or unsteady gait may also be a symptom of small stroke as a warning sign of a complete stroke. It may be accompanied by other disturbing signals, e.g. inability to maintain balance, also in a sitting position, orientation and speech disorders.

In this case, you should call the ambulance immediately. Time is of the essence – doctors believe that if people with early symptoms of a stroke were hospitalized within three hours of their onset, thousands of people could be saved from death or disability.

Consultation: Ewa Czernicka-Cierpisz, MD, PhD, specialist in internal medicine

Source: Let’s live longer

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