How to Effectively Manage Foot and Ankle Pain Without Breaking the Bank

The idea of frugal living can be hard when you are in pain. If you experience constant pain, you may feel as if your only option is to turn to expensive medical procedures. Foot and ankle pain are common ailments that affect one in five people in the United States. The good news is that there are ways to manage your pain without having to rack up costly medical bills.

Massage and Physical Therapy

While the first thing that may come to mind when you think of massage is your back, it can be great for other areas as well. You can book an athletic or sports massage at a relatively low cost and they can target your foot or ankle pain. The majority of people find that massage was a useful tool, with 88% finding pain relief from their sessions. Booking a massage every few weeks can provide long-term relief from your pain and can soothe arthritic symptoms.

You can also turn to a physical therapist. Booking an appointment with a physical therapist can help you target the cause of your pain. The great thing about physical therapy is that once they've determined the cause of your pain, they will give you continued exercises that you can do in your own home. This is a great way for long-term pain management as you may not know the correct stretches or home treatments to do without some guidance.

Treating Your Pain at Home

If you are focused on the goal of frugal living, one of the best ways to manage your pain is with treatments at home. When you have a flare-up of pain there are several different self-care steps that you can take. Firstly, you need to get plenty of rest so as to not put any more strain on the area. You should also use either ice or heat, depending on the nature of your pain. Ice works best for pain that is related to an area that is inflamed. You can apply ice three times a day in 20-minute sessions.

Another great at-home remedy for pain is to take a foot bath. Adding Epson salts to warm water can provide a great deal of relief for both foot and ankle pain. As an alternative, or in addition, you can also apply an over-the-counter topical pain reliever directly to the affected area.

Frequent Stretching

Arthritis is a painful condition that doesn't just affect us when we get older. There are around 300,000 juvenile arthritis sufferers in the United States, meaning that learning proper home stretching techniques should begin at an early age. Simple exercises or through the added use of items such as foot massagers or stretching bands are a great way to get the most out of your at-home stretching and does not cost very much.

Proper Support

One of the key tips to alleviating pain is proper support. This can mean swapping out those flip-flops for shoes that have arch support. Depending on how severe your pain is, you may need support items to get around. Whether you are having a flare-up, or to prevent further damage, use a cane, walker, or crutches to take some of the weight of the area. There are around 11.6 million people who use these in some way to help their pain. The less pressure and the easier it is for you to walk correctly, you will see a difference in your level of pain.

Nobody wants to live in constant pain. By stretching and treating your ankle or foot pain when it flares up, you can find relief. However, even when you don't have a painful flare-up, daily stretching exercises can help improve your day-to-day life.