How can I make my feet stop hurting?

@ShanEnri, Sadly, you are talking about the entire foot.
Heels, balls of feet and toes leave only the arches, which do not strike the ground at each step.

The bottoms of your feet are the only places where the body loses fat when aging, which is annoying.

What about seeing a podiatrist or your primary doc. for RX for custom-made orthotics?

I wear plastic heel cups (source ) for plantar fasciitis. They are little bits of cheap plastic but they do the job.

Can you try another brand? If you do get orthotics, you will need a half size larger shoe to accomodate the orthotic.

Are these work boots or a softer lower shoe? Are you a man or woman?

Time to visit your friendly neighbourhood Podiatrist.

Doctor Martins are the most comfortable steel toe boots I have ever worn. They are expensive but totally worth it. And they will last forever.

You could try wearing double socks.

Totally forgot about doubling the socks. I did that for a bit until I got better shoes. Just make sure you buy the outside pair a few sizes big so your feet can get blood.

If you have flat feet, weight issues, or spinal issues, you can be in agony. Try getting a pair of gel insert orthotics from Wal-Mart, buy good shoes—preferably athletic shoes ; and if the pain continues, try massage, Epsom salt soaks, or see a doctor. Don’t expect a lot from an MD, unless he is accurate in the diagnosis; otherwise you could be on a wild goose chase going hither and yonder, and spend a lot of money in the process.

@ShanEnri Orthotics can be trimmed perfectly to fit in the shoe—wearing bigger shoes can cause blistering and clumsy balance, and should be avoided, if at all possible—unless the wearer discovers they have worn shoes that were too small. Rule of thumb is one thumb-width past the toes for properly-fitted shoes.

Trust me. Wool socks. Merino wool socks. (Once you’ve worn wool socks you’ll never go back to cotton). Go to your local climbing/outdoor sports shop and get some socks for high mountaineering.

@lightlyseared Wool socks are hot.

And if the issue is spinal or flat feet, socks will make little, if any, difference. Additionally, many people are allergic to wool; and while wool is superior for warmth, except for down garments, it isn’t the answer for everything.

Wool socks, Doc Martens, and foot exercises. I had such pain in the ball of my right foot last week that I could barely drive. It’s still sensitive, and my Docs have been much better than even my nice, roomy sneakers.

Look up foot exercises for plantar fasciitis or metatarsalgia. A lot of them are the same exercises.

Thanks all! A lot of good tips I’m going to try! Especially the Doc Martens, and foot exercises! @DreamTrees I did have shoes that were a size too big and they caused many blisters and I did trip a lot at work, so I did buy a smaller pair when they became available, so thanks for confirming that!

I used to cashier all day, and my feet ached. I never did find a good shoe (but I never tried any of the really expensive ones, because, well, I earned a cashier’s wage). I found that some relatively cheap shoes (like the Dr. Scholl’s ones) did okay as long as they were replaced frequently. My coworkers also recommended Skechers, or Birkenstocks if you can afford them.

It makes a difference if you stand all the time or if you are allowed to walk around. Walking is at least something the feet were meant to do, while standing in one place isn’t – and this distinction should inform the choice of shoes.

The only thing that really helped my feet medium-term was getting inserts from a foot doctor. I had orthopedic inserts made from a cast of the shape of my feet, and cortizone shots to my heels, and that helped for a while, but the only thing that helped long-term was quitting that job. I wish I had quit sooner, before the damage was so permanent. Even though I quit five years ago, I still have occasional pain, especially when I’ve been off my feet for a long period (sleeping, or at my desk job) and stand up to go somewhere. It still hurts like that for a few minutes until everything gets stretched out.

I know it’s not really very practical advice, to stop damaging yourself when you probably need your job. It’s a trade-off, though: what you need now, to how much future pain you are willing to risk.

Check out this catalog that has dozens of tricks and devices for sore feet…everything short of a podiatrist who can fit you for custom orthotics (That’s the reason you would need a shoe size slightly larger…to accommodate the orthotics.)

http://www.footsmart.com/

Heel Spurs? Mine went away when I lost weight? Not to be rude, but are you carrying extra body weight?