Sole to Soul; Healthy Feet, Healthy Mind

There are so many people who suffer in silence from foot and lower limb pain, forcing them to drive to work instead of walking, let alone attempt any kind of sport. So many of us have wasted time, energy and money on pointless treatments, different kinds of shoes and expensive orthotics to no avail, resulting in frustration, despair and a depressing feeling of being left behind by our active friends.

Sometimes, we are embarrassed by our foot problems; let’s face it – some people may think that feet are not the most glamorous or desirable part of the body! A few feel that their feet smell and are reluctant to seek help – or might be mortified by their bunions or ingrowing toenails. Podiatrists or chiropodists have seen it all before! Often they can treat patients on the NHS and many also work privately. Still, many sufferers feel reluctant to book appointments and somehow hope that their foot pain will disappear with time.

Whereas there are many complex foot health issues which require a professional approach, sometimes foot pain and discomfort can be handled easily and effectively over-the-counter. Many such problems are caused by inadequate footwear. So often, we squeeze our feet into work shoes, yet our daily work routine can sometimes involve walking quickly to the train or bus stop, then walking around offices on hard floors – it is at times like these when our feet have precious little protection, yet many people who buy insoles only wear them when exercising, in their already supportive training shoes. It is vital to protect our feet all the time and not walk barefooted inside. Enertor Comfort insoles fit into most types of footwear – including ballet pumps, brogues and court shoes, as well as into trainers and walking boots. They provide huge shock absorption and literally make old footwear feel like new. These insoles may help with plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle pain, rheumatoid arthritis and problems associated with diabetes. They are so protective that if you bounce an egg on them, it bounces back!

Take a look at the underside of your trainers or walking boots - if the wear is predominantly on the inside of the boot, this suggests that you 'pronate.’ In order to reduce the risk of further discomfort and injury, you should consider a pair of Enertor Performance insoles, which control some of the heel movements and help to stabilise the gait, serving to align the body and relieve further pain.

ENERTOR is a global company specialising in orthotics, insoles and underfoot technology, based in the UK with over 22 years of experience in design and production, as well as taking care of patients. They pride ourselves on having helped many elite sports people and are endorsed by the fastest sprinter in the world, Usain Bolt.

It is a question of taking care of your soles before you can start on the wellbeing of your soul for many of us but once you have resolved your foot problems, build up your exercise gradually – walk to work instead of driving, try to “park and stride” or take the stairs for part of your journey instead of using the lift. It will not be long before those small steps can help to improve your wellbeing and make you feel like your old self again. Then, who knows – maybe a game of badminton or a jog in the park?