Foot Faults
J. Prujan

If you have injured your foot, follow these guidelines as recommeneded by Stephen Clark, an orthopedic therapist at Athletic Physical Therapy in West Los Angeles, California:

• Treat the area with RICE: rest, ice, compression, elevation. Get off your feet and ice them for five to seven minutes several times daily.
  
  
• Roll a golf ball under the arch of each foot. This can help alleviate the pain.
  
  
• Don't go barefoot, even at home. Keep a pair of arch supporting sandles such as Birkenstocks by your bed side for those midnight trips to the bathroom.
  
  
• Consider using an anti-inflammatory painkiller such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
  
  
• Seek professional help if the pain hasn't subsided, or if it's gotten worse, in two or three weeks.
  
  
• Be patient. Foot injuries can take anywhere from six weeks to six months, or longer, to fully heal.
  
  Mars Blackmon said it more than a decade ago: "It's gotta be the shoes." It is no secret that footwear is often at the root of sports injuries, so it is important that you get it right. Some things to keep in mind when shopping for shoes are:
  
  
• Do it in the afternoon. Feet swell during the day.
  
  
• Try on both shoes. One foot is always larger.
  
  
• Wear the type of sock you'll be using during your activity.
  
  
• Go to a reputable retailer and test-drive your shoes inside and outside. Store rules vary on this; ask before you start jogging out the door.
  
  
• Shoes should feel comfortable when you first put them on. Don't expect to "break them in".
  
  
• Pronators need shoes that control, stabilize and prevent feet from rolling inward.
  
  
• Supinators need shoes with extra heel and arch cushioning to absorb the shock of landings.
  
  
• Replace your shoes regularly, preferrably every 500 miles or six months.
  
  - This is a summary of the original article written by J. Prujan published in the November 2000 issue of Men's Fitness magazine