Do you find yourself walking gingerly with your first few steps in the morning? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans deal with stiffness or discomfort in their feet as they take their first steps in the morning, but you can overcome this issue by following a few simple tips. Below, we share some tips for alleviating morning foot stiffness.
Treating Morning Foot Stiffness
In this blog, we’re going to focus on treating stiffness and general midfoot discomfort when taking your first few steps in the morning. If your discomfort seems to be housed in your heel or on the underside of your foot, you may want to check out this blog post on treating plantar fasciitis-related foot pain. Below, we’re going to focus on treating foot discomfort caused by issues like decreased circulation, inflammation, muscle stiffness and fluid buildup in your feet, all of which can happen if you regularly stress your feet or deal with some underlying health conditions.
Many of the above issues that contribute to midfoot discomfort in the morning can be reduced or eliminated by practicing one or more of the following techniques:
1. Stretch – Before you get out of bed, sit up and scoot to the edge of your bed. Let your feet hang down and do a few simple stretches and movements for 2-3 minutes. Draw the alphabet with your toes and flex them in different directions. This will help your muscles prepare for the stress they are about to endure, and it will help to pump healthy blood to your extremities.
2. Ice/Heat – Use ice and heat can help to reduce swelling or increase circulation in your feet throughout the day, which can limit discomfort you may experience in the morning. Ice prevents fluid buildup and swelling in an area, while heat opens up blood vessels and boosts your circulation. See if either technique proves beneficial at limiting foot discomfort in the morning.
3. Orthotics – If your muscles are aching in the morning because they never fully recovered from the stress of the previous day, you may want to consider an orthotic insert. An insert can provide extra cushioning and support to your feet throughout the day so that your muscles and ligaments aren’t overworked at the end of it. Getting into a more supportive shoe or adding an orthotic insert can help you wake up with less foot discomfort.
4. Night Splint – Your foot specialist may also recommend a night splint. This is a special device that you wear while you sleep that supports your foot and prevents ligaments from becoming overly tight and contracted while you sleep. Oftentimes your discomfort is caused by these overly tight muscles expanding when you take your first steps each morning, so this process becomes a little less uncomfortable thanks to the support provided by your night splint.
5. Strength Training Exercises – Finally, your feet will feel better in the morning if you work to strengthen them with specific exercises during the day. Partake in some low-impact foot strengthening exercises so that the soft tissues in your feet are better able to handle the stress of your body when you step out of bed in the morning.