Foot Pain Causes

Do not underestimate if the soles of your feet ache. It could be a sign there is a health problem.

To find the cause, we must know which part of your foot is in pain. In addition, it is also important to know how and when the pain appears to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.

Sources of Pain

The soles of foot pain can be caused by the shape of the natural structure of the foot itself. Muscles, ligaments, bones, skin, nerves, and other parts that could also be disrupted because of the emergence of pain. Here are the common causes pain on the soles of the feet:

• Metatarsalgia

Pain such as burning or pain in the front of the foot is medically commonly called metatarsalgia. This type of disorder would worsen if the the patients starting to walk.

The situation will be worsened if the patients is overweight, doing strenuous exercise, and wearing tight shoes in the long term. This disorder should be wary by elderly because of their age group vulnerable to metatarsalgia. Metatarsalgia most cases can be easily treated with painkillers, rest, ice and using a prop shoes specifically.

• Bunion

A lump of bone in the joint in the big toe can also cause foot pain. The condition is called a bunion that occurs when the big toe urged other toes positions. Common characteristic of bunion is presence of pain and reddened skin above the bulge of the big toe joint.

The presence of bunion likely influenced by shoes that are too tight. Another cause bunion is  birth defects in the structure of the foot or arthritis.

• Sprains and strained muscles

Lots of complaints related to foot pain caused by sprains and muscle strains. This injury usually occurs when someone changes direction or speed suddenly, colliding during exercise, and crashed.

Pain in the feet due to sprains and strained muscles often causes swelling, bruising, pain and limping. Someone get this injury was forced to limp for the balance weight on the foot is maintained.

Read also: Sprain First Aid and Home Remedy Treatment

• Gout Arthritis

Pain in the feet can also be caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints that cause inflammation. The ill effects of these conditions often strike suddenly with severe pain. The affected joint will feel hot and swollen. This situation is usually does not improve even at rest. Gout need to be treated with painkillers and an ice pack.

This condition is more often among men than women. But this does not mean gout can not override the women. The women will be increasingly vulnerable after they went through menopause.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

This disease appears in the form of chronic inflammation that primarily affects the small joints in the hands and feet. Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the joint lining and can cause swelling. Swelling that occurs will be sore, and if left untreated will lead to the erosion of the bone and cause joint deformities.

This disorder is caused by disturbances in a person's immune system. In addition to the joint, other tissues can also be attacked by rheumatoid arthritis is the skin, eyes, lungs, and blood vessels. Elderly women are the most vulnerable group gets this disorder.

• High Hells Pain

The desire to perform better while protecting the feet sometimes causes pain in the feet. The discrepancy between the shape of the foot and the shoes cause foot vulnerable to injury and cause pain. Women who frequently wear high heels put tremendous pressure on the toes.

Read also : This is What Happen When You Wear High Heels!

Skull Fracture Types and Treatment

Bone structure that forms the head of the human skeleton called the skull. The existence of the skull are critical to protect the brain and support the structure of the face.

In order to functioning as a protection from potential brain injury, skull-shaped cavity formed protective shell that surrounds and a safe place for the brain and brain stem. Set of bones that make up the protective brain is called the neurocranium. Besides neurocranium, skull also consists of a set of bone-forming viscerocranium or face.

All parts of the skull was then put together by an appropriate seam-like sinartrosis joints system (static joints) formed by hardening of the bones. The existence of Sharpey fiber then allows the skull has a little flexibility.

Accidents May Cause Skull Fracture

Although the skull was designed extremely good and strong, but still could potentially for injury. Injury or trauma to the skull usually can cause cracks. Due to the structure of the skull bones sturdy and solid, it will clash of the strong ones that could lead to cracking.

Typically, the skull was damaged when a motor vehicle accident or fall off from height. Another thing that also can be the cause of damage to the skull bone is a direct blow to the head.

Type of Skull Fracture

Cracks or fractures of the skull can be divided into several types. This grouping is done by looking at the power that makes the damage, the location of the injuries, and the shapes of objects that caused the damage in the head. Below is some kind of damage to the skull.

• Closed Fracture

Damage to the skull is named so if the skin cover the cracked area did not experience a tear or causing injury becomes open.

• Open Fracture

Unlike the closed fracture, the condition of the skull bone injury is followed by damage to the skin at the site of cracks. Called as an open fractures due to bone damage visible or appearing from skin tears.

• Skull Base Fracture

Fractures of this type occurred in the area of the base of the skull. This area covers the area around the eyes, ears, nose, or the back of the skull which is adjacent to the spine.

• Depression Fracture

Other damage that can happen is a depressed fracture of the skull. So named to describe the fracture fragments pushed into the cavity of the brain.

Treatment of the Skull Fracture

In handling fractures of the skull, the determination of the type of damage above becomes very crucial. In addition to the type of damage that occurs, the handling will also be determined by how severe the fracture suffered. It takes months in order to be well recovered. It also depends on the age of the patient. The younger a person who experienced it, the sooner the possibility of well recovered.

In cases when a patient who suffered skull fracture also get open wounds on the skin, then the injury usually need to be cleaned first. Cleaning an open wound need to be done to prevent infection. In addition, doctor may prescribe medicine to relieve symptoms that may arise such as pain and nausea. Surgery may also be required if a skull fracture caused part of the bone migratory or broken.

3 Jump Squats Facts that You Need to Know

Some people say that the squat jump is good for the body, but, some would say that the squat jump can be dangerous and cause injury. Let's find out the truth by knowing three facts of squat jump.

Squat jump is one of the exercises that performed with the initial position of the body and legs standing wide open. Then, hands placed behind the head, and a little jump with landed half-squat position until your knees are bent and not exceeding the toes.

Squat jump is usually done as part of the warm-up or to tighten the lower body muscles. However, there are other facts you need to know in order not carelessly in doing squat jump, avoid the dangers, and get the benefits.

Here are three facts squat jump you need to know:

1. Half squats before jump squat. Squat jump may be good to do as a warm up before the main exercise. But it turns out, before doing jump squats, you should first do a half-squat. Half squat is done like a squat jump, only without doing jumping movement. Half squat is done as a form of heating, so the jump squat performance increased due to an increase in muscle activity.
2. Avoid doing jump squat if you have this condition. You are advised not to do squat jump if you have a meniscus tear. Tearing of meniscus (knee joint coating) typically occurs in athletes. However, this condition can also be caused by other conditions such as aging, activity that causes full body weight is concentrated in the knee, and the knee is forced to rotate. If you are having a meniscus tear you will feel pain, knee stiffness, and swelling.
3. Perform jump squat well to avoid this condition. If you want to do a squat jump, you should do a squat jump correctly and not excessive. Why? Because even if the movement is good for the lower body, but if been carried out excessively and not properly then it could result in injury. One type of injury that may occur is patellofemoral pain. It is a condition in which the bone and the soft tissue around the kneecap, as the fat pad under the patella, tendon, synovial tissue (lining of the knee joint), as well as the connective tissue of joints, painful. In certain circumstances, patellofemoral pain can cause inflammation of the synovial joints of oil or liquids. In addition, it could also lead to a torn meniscus, back pain, and sprains.

For those of you who practice or exercise by using lower body exercise (e.g. running and jumping), you can start by practicing squat jump. Even so, do a reckless squat jump, and in the wrong position can actually cause injury. It is suggested do half squats before jump squats, squat jumps and avoid excessive exercises.

Rib Injury Home Remedy Treatment

Falling and got hit in the chest area may cause the ribs bruised, cracked, or broken. Sometimes severe coughing can also lead to a rib injury in people who suffer from osteoporosis and cancer.

When ribs bruised, cracked, or broken, you will experience tremendous pain. But with a proper care, this pain will slowly goes away after three weeks to one and a half months because the rib structure is able to recover naturally.

In most cases, a broken rib can be handled with care at home. These ways can you do to take care of the injured ribs.

Rib Injury Home Remedy Treatment

• Taking painkillers. You can choose ibuprofen or paracetamol. Consider the use of the drug according to instructions on the package. Aspirin can also be used for adults.
• Breathing exercises. When a rib get injury, you will feel pain when breathing deeply so that makes you tend to inhale slowly and shallow. Actually, you are advised to keep breathing normally. The purpose is to prevent chest infections and helps remove mucus from the lungs. As a form of breathing exercises, you can inhale a deep breath then exhale slowly. Do this 10 times every hour. Then you also can do exercises to perform mild cough every two hours.
• Do not bandage the injured ribs. Bruised, cracked, or broken rib should not be covered with bandages (elastic bandage) wrapped around the chest area. Pressure from the bandage on the upper body area can hamper breathing and increases the risk of pneumonia.
• Rest a Lot. If your job requires a lot of physical movement, we recommend you take time off. Similarly, if the condition of your ribs is considered as a severe injury and agonizingly painful.
• Do not lying down for too long. Avoid lying position for too long, or being in the same position for a long time. In the first few days, you are advised to sleep in an upright position.
• Being active. You are advised to keep moving once in a while, such as walking around and moving the shoulder. Remain mobile  will help clear your lungs of mucus.
• Compress the chest. To reduce swelling and pain, compress your chest regularly. Use ice cubes or frozen food wrapped in a towel and apply on the chest area. Do this especially on the first few days.
• Use a pillow if you want to cough. If you want to cough, hug a pillow to hold the chest to absorb the pressure.
• Avoid the following things for a while. You are advised not to carry or lift heavy loads. Avoid straining too strong and avoid smoking. Just wait until your condition get better.

You have to really pay attention how to take care of your bruised, cracked, or broken ribs, as described above. Do not let your lack of attention worsen the situation and make the recovery process becomes longer.

Immediately see a doctor if you experience high fever, shortness of breath, severe chest pain, coughing up blood, cough accompany with yellow or green mucus, and pain in the abdomen or shoulder. You should also see a doctor if the pain does not relieve in a few weeks after taking care as mentioned above.

Hamstring Muscle Injury First Aid Treatment

On each thigh there are three muscle groups located at the rear and was named hamstring muscle. If this muscle sprain then it will lead to a hamstring injury.

Certain sports at risk of causing a person to get this injury. Football, basketball, tennis, rugby or other sports that require running and braking continuously. A dancer or runners are also at risk of suffering a hamstring injury due to compression of the exercise on the part of the thigh.

How Can Hamstring Muscle Get Injured?

In everyday activities, such as standing and walking, hamstring muscles are not used too much. But when we bend the knee, running, jumping, and climbing, the muscles become very active. Hamstring injuries can occur immediately due to the sudden movement or too explosive. The actions that related to these high risk conditions, for example due to a run, crashing, or jump.

Muscle damage can also occur gradually or during slow movements. The slow movement of a hamstring injury risk is exaggerated stretching movements.

If a person has been experience this injury, it is likely it will recurrent someday. This especially can happen to those who work as athletes or sportsmen.

Hamstring injury itself is divided into three categories if based on the severity level:

1. Category I: happens when the hamstring muscle to stretch or mild stretch. This injury requires a few days of recovery.
2. Category II: happen to a person who suffered partially torn hamstring muscle. Injuries of this category require recovery of several weeks to several months.
3. Category III: the hamstring injury which occurs when tearing in the entire muscle. Injuries of this category requires restoration for a few weeks to a few months.

Hamstring Muscle Injury First Aid Treatment

To relieve the pain that appears, some of the actions below may help relieve it.

1. Compress legs with ice to reduce pain and swelling. Do it every 2-3 hours for 20-30 minutes for a few days after the injury.
2. Give pressure by putting on an elastic bandage on the injured area.
3. When sitting or lying down, put your legs on a pillow so that its position is higher than the body.
4. If necessary, take painkillers may be beneficial. However, you should consult your doctor to avoid the potential risk of side effects.
5. As part of the healing process, doing stretching exercises and muscle strengthening. Do this according to the recommendation of your doctor.
6. Rarely, surgery may be required in some cases to recover the damage of the hamstring muscle.

To avoid hamstring injury, stretching and muscle strengthening is the part that must be implemented. In addition, warm up before exercise can reduce the risk of this injury.

Sprained Ankle First Aid Treatment

The ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments (hard connective tissue that connects bones) leg get injury. Changing foot position or rotate suddenly can make ligaments stretch too far or even torn. Similarly, if foothold with the wrong angle, or using too much power, the ligaments can be snapped. In fact, ligaments serve to help stabilize the joint and prevent excessive motion.

Read Also: Sprain First Aid and Home Remedy Treatment

Ankle sprains are divided into three levels: mild, moderate, and severe. Fortunately, mild ankle sprain and moderate able to heal itself. To accelerate the healing, you can do the following things:

• Protect ankle sprain in order injury not getting worsen, for example bandage the leg.
• Rest the ankle joint for 2-3 days, but that does not mean you are unable to activity at all. Although your foot is sprain, you can still exercise, for example by training the arms and the feet that are not is sprain using a stationary bike. We recommend not running or jumping until you can walk without feeling pain. In addition, do not force the ankle to keep moving and do not walk too far or for long. Better stand up and walk around the house a short distance, while using crutches.
• Compress the sprained ankle with ice water. The goal is to limit the swelling from spreading as well as relieve the pain. In addition, the ice also helps reduce pain. Cold compress the injured area as soon as possible for 15 to 20 minutes, 4-8 times a day. Do it for the first 48 hours or until the swelling deflated. If you use ice cubes, do not apply directly to the skin. In addition, do not put ice on the skin for too long because it can trigger tissue damage.
• Bandaged sprained ankle with an elastic bandage or neoprene (synthetic rubber) for at least 48 hours (can be less or more). Useful to limit swelling and help the joints to rest. Do not bandage the ankle too tight because it can restrict blood flow to the legs. If the toes change color, tingling, or felt numb, immediately open the bandage.
• Lift sprained ankle to over the heart for 2-3 hours a day if possible. The goal is to limit and reduce swelling and bruising. The trick, lie down on a couch or bed and put your foot on a pile of pillows. If not possible, the foot can be lifted at hip level when sitting in a chair. Keep in mind not to use bandages when the foot is raised because bandages can restrict blood flow to the legs.
• Taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen, or aspirin after a meal. But do not consume this drug often, unless prescribed by a doctor.
• Perform stretching exercise if your doctor recommend it.

How to Take Care of Prosthetic Leg

Prosthetic leg is used to replace missing legs due to a congenital condition, illness, or accident.

The process of installation prosthetic leg made by a team of experts, including medical rehabilitation specialists and prosthetist (expert made prosthesis or artificial limb replacement). To get the maximum benefit, a person must take care of the prosthetic and his amputated body parts.

Installation Process of Prosthetic Leg

Before the prosthetic leg is attached, there are some processes that must be performed, among others:

1. Ensure the health of the area around the foot.
2. Measure the stump (the end of the amputated body) so the size of the prosthetic leg fitted with body size.
3. Make a plaster mold of the foot.
4. Designing socket (buffer) to make it more comfortable.
5. Adding the shaft at the candidate prosthetic limbs.
6. Beautify candidate prosthetic leg to match the aesthetics of the body.

Just before the installation of artificial limbs, desensitization is usually performed of the skin around the stump or the base to be fitted with prosthetic limbs. Desensitization is a process of reducing the level of sensitivity of the skin around the stump to be more comfortable to wear prosthetic leg. The process of desensitization is performed as follows.

• The skin covering the the stump pressed by using a soft cloth. To reduce swelling, the section covered by bandage. It is also intended to prevent the accumulation of fluid on the the stump, either inside or around it.
• Furthermore, patients are advised to pull the skin and rub gently around the bone in order to avoid the formation of excessive scar tissue. This step can be done alone or can be assisted by medical personnel.

Usually you will begin to practice using prosthetic leg in ten days to two weeks after surgery, depending on the condition of the feet, sores and post-operative healing process.

After wearing prosthetic leg, you still have to train the muscles that still exist around the foot. In this case the physiotherapist will help train you. In order to familiarize yourself with this artificial limb, you are advised to continue to exercise instructed by your physiotherapist.

How to Take Care of Prosthetic Leg

Not just artificial limbs to be treated, but also part of the original foot using prosthetic limbs. You have to take care of it every day in the following way.

1. Remove the prosthetic leg when you are going to sleep.
2. Check your prosthetic leg, make sure that no parts are damaged, loose, or anything else.
3. Check your stump, make sure no irritation, blisters, or other disorders.
4. Ask for help of others to also examine whether there is any injury to the skin around the stump regularly.
5. Clean the stump, then slowly massage the skin with lotion.
6. To reduce swelling, wraps stump with bandage when you're not using prosthetic limbs.
7. Do exercises to support endurance, range of motion, posture and stretching, as guide of the therapist.
8. Choose the right size of shoes. Avoid high heels.
9. Wear socks when you are using prosthetic leg.
10. Clean the socket regularly with soap.
11. Keep your weight in order to keep the size of prosthetic leg and your body and comfortable to wear.
12. Consult your prosthetic leg in prosthetist once a year to ensure your prosthetic leg is still functioning properly.

Tips for Healthy and Strong Bones

Bone disorder is one complaint that can be annoying, especially in the elderly. To prevent that from happening, the following tips to have healthy and strong bones.

The possibility of women experience bone loss or osteoporosis is greater than men. By applying a diet containing adequate nutrition and appropriate exercise can reduce the risk.

Although at first glance seems as harsh and permanent organ, but actually the bone is a living tissue that include blood vessels, nerves and bone marrow.

As the living tissue, the bone would improve his condition regularly. A disturbance in the process of improvement and growth of bone, even the smallest ones, will increase the risk of fractures when doing daily activities.

Two nutrients essential for strong bones are calcium and vitamin D. Calcium will support the structure of bones and teeth, while vitamin D will maximize calcium absorption and supports bone growth.

That's where the importance of the intake of these nutrients from the outset. The adequacy of these nutrients will help prevent osteoporosis that can cause brittle bones to fracture.

Calcium intake for adults up to age 50 is 1,000 milligrams per day, while vitamin D is needed about 200 IU. After age 50, the intake should be added that 1,200 mg of calcium and 400-600 IU of vitamin D per day.

Some calcium-rich foods as part of healthy living tips strong bones are milk, cheese, nuts, tofu and green vegetables. In addition, also consume other foods that are fortified like bread from fortificated flour and others.

For foods high in vitamin D to support strong bones, such as eggs, fortified cereals, and some types of fish (e.g. salmon, sardines and mackerel). Apart from food, vitamin D is primarily derived from the sun.

Formation of bone goes up to the 20s. After the age of 35 years, along with the aging process, your bones lose bone mass. However, if the physical activity done regularly, bone loss can be slowed.

To build and maintain strong bones, necessary physical activities or exercise that focus on muscle strengthening and exercise with weights.

Water Sport Exercise Benefits for Arthritis

Water sports are recommended to people with arthritis. Even water sports are often used to help those who are in rehabilitation after joint replacement.

In fact, in addition to maintaining a healthy body, exercise is also very important when you have arthritis. Stay active proven to be beneficial for people with arthritis, including reducing pain and improving flexibility. And one of the sports recommended for people with arthritis are water sports.

Water Sport Exercise Benefits

1. Increase flexibility and range of motion without putting pressure on the joints and spine.
2. Improve the function of joints that are painful without worsen the symptoms.
3. Improve health.
4. Reduce pain.
5. Water is a substance that can make the floating body. When doing water sports, water helps the body and  the joints do not need to work hard. Because of the water, the body is almost no gravity, so the body loses 90 percent of its weight. It keeps the body free to move without spending a lot of energy.
6. Water also creates a natural resistance when you move your body. It makes muscles like trained with weights without the need for tools.
7. If exercising in the pool with warm water (28° - 31° Celsius), there are additional benefits that can be felt, which help to relieve pain in the joints.

Water sports for arthritis patients

Do not make your arthritis as a barrier activities, especially exercise. There's no doubt benefits of exercise for physical fitness. Here are a few water sports are good for arthritis.

Swimming

Besides useful to maintain health and weight loss, water sports is also very good for arthritis patients, especially freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. Freestyle most recommended because it makes the body, neck, hands, and spine rotates and moves lightly. While backstroke help strengthen the muscles of the back and shoulders, support and lengthen the spine, and help open the chest cavity. And breaststroke able to strengthen back muscles. But the need to step carefully when swimming breaststroke, because it can give excessive pressure on the neck and lower back.

Water Aerobic

If it is the first time you do water sports, start slowly by walking in a pool of shallow water. Then gradually increase the intensity of exercise, ranging from swimming with waist-deep water up to chest height. Furthermore, add movements that use both arms and legs. And do not forget to always do five minutes of warming up and stretching at the beginning and end of exercise.

Walking in the Pool

When walking in the water, use the same technique as when walking on the ground, by retracing your feet from heel and ends at the toe. If you want to do this water sport, wear the buoys to keep safety.

Sports exercise in deep water

Deep water is able to prevent injury when performing high-intensity athletic sports. You can jog, run, sit ups, and do many other things, but you need the life vest to do all these activities.

Before you start doing water sports, ask your doctor whether exercise is safe for you. Besides, also ask what movements or water sports should be avoided. When exercise, start by stretching to warm up the body. Perform each stretch or warm up slowly to avoid putting pressure on the joints, and end with cooling.

Keep in mind not to exercise if you are experiencing severe arthritis or accompanied by swelling. Be sure to wait until the pain stops and swelling subside. If you suddenly feel sick, dizzy, or short of breath, stop immediately and consult a doctor.

Knee Ligament Injuries First Aid Treatment

Knee ligament injury can happen especially when you are exercising or doing activity. Most of the knee injury caused the knee function becomes deteriorate, such as weakened to support the body weight.

The knee is a body part that works hard when you're doing activities, especially exercise such as running. The load on the knee while working hard can cause injury to the ligaments. Ligaments are hard bands that connects bone to bone.

Read also: Knee Cartilage Injury First Aid Treatment

The ligaments in the knee ligaments are vulnerable to injury and can lead to permanent changes in a person's activity. Injuries that often experienced by athletes can also be experienced by anyone who are doing or have conditions such as the following:

1. Knee suffered from a concussion
2. Rotating the knees with your feet remain grounded on the ground.
3. Suddenly moving the load weight from one foot to the other.
4. Over widen the knees.
5. Jumping and landing with bent knees.
6. Sudden stop while running.

Knee ligament injury will cause the person experiencing it can feel sudden pain, swelling, crackling sound of a knee injury, the joints feel loose, and always feel pain each time lifting weights.

Read also : Knee Injury Treatment Home Remedy

Examination for detecting injuries could be done with MRI, X-rays, or other tests. In most cases, the doctor may use a needle to suck and dried blood in the swollen knee.

If it not treated immediately, the impact of a knee ligament injury can be felt up to several months, even several years later.

Knee Ligament Injury First Aid

1. Compress the knee with a cloth to relieve swelling. You can also use ice cubes. Place the compress for 20-30 minutes every four hours.
2. Rest your knees.
3. When lying down, raise your knee on a pillow.
4. If needed, take anti-inflammation drug and pain reliever.
5. Wear kneepads to prevent further injury.
6. The doctor will probably encourage you to practice stretching and movement to train the strength.
7. Physical therapy may be needed on medical advice.

After receiving treatment, avoid rush back on the move as actively as before until your knee recover as the following conditions:

1. No swelling anymore.
2. The injured knee is just as strong as uninjured.
3. Do not feel pain in the knee when walking, running and jumping.
4. Be able to bend and straighten the knee without pain.
5. Do not underestimate the recovery period because if you are rush to move as it was when the knee has not completely recovered, then you face the risk of permanent injury.

Fast or slow period of recovery depend on the severity of the injury and the treatment given. However, some types of injuries, such as Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) torn typically require reconstructive surgery to recover. These ligaments connect the femur to the tibia (a lower leg bone).

The possibility of ACL injury is very common among all forms of sports injuries. Injuries to these Cruciate Ligaments unfortunately can not be fixed and can only be reconstructed. This operation is likely to return more than 80 percent of knee function. In other words, it will not completely the same as before the injury. Patients also will likely continue to experience pain and swelling. Besides this operation also risk causing other health problems, such as infection and blood clots.

Therefore it is important to prevent knee ligament injuries before it happens. This can be prevented by warming up before exercise or doing activities, stretching and strength training regularly to maintain muscle flexibility, and avoid increasing the intensity of exercise suddenly.