How to Soothe Tired Feet

Do you ever end the day with achey, tired feet? No matter your lifestyle, profession, or workout habits, the time you spend standing or walking throughout the day can cause your feet to feel fatigued and sore. In fact, the average American worker spends 57.3% of their workday on their feet. While staying active by standing and walking throughout the day is generally positive for your health, there’s no denying that your feet may need a little soothing!

Whether your feet only hurt every once in a while or aching feet are a more common occurrence, we’ve done the research to help you manage foot pain and teach you how to soothe tired feet.

How to Sooth Occasional Foot Aches

No matter how healthy and active you are, it’s totally normal for your feet to get sore every now and then. From a particularly busy day at work, a new pair of shoes, or even a night spent on the dance floor, any excessive time on your feet can lead to aches and pains. Here are some ways to soothe and relieve sore, achy feet:

Get a Foot Massage

Tight, tense muscles can be painful, so helping to relax your feet with a massage can be a great way to relieve discomfort. A foot massage can help to improve circulation, reduce tension and ease any pain in your feet.

For a self-care splurge, consider taking yourself to a professional masseuse or reflexologist. Or if your budget and schedule don’t allow for a pro, take the time to give yourself a foot massage. Even spending just 10 minutes working out the knots can seriously help relax and refresh your feet!

Take a Hot Bath

At the end of a long day on your feet, you don’t want to further tire out your sore muscles by standing for a long shower. Instead, take the weight off your feet by indulging in a hot bath. The heat from the water can help relax the muscles and temporarily relieve aching feet. Try adding epsom salts for an added dose of love for your tired muscles!

Elevate Your Feet

If you notice that your feet or ankles look swollen at the end of a day spent standing, elevating them may help reduce swelling. Kicking your feet up above the height of your heart, like on the armrests of your couch, will help any excess fluids and blood drain away from your feet. This can reduce discomfort and help prepare your feet for tomorrow’s activities.

How to Soothe Chronic Foot Pain

Unfortunately, some foot pain is more persistent. When pain or discomfort in your feet becomes a regular occurrence, it can be considered chronic. Chronic foot pain can be caused by factors such as injury, poorly fitting shoes, or overuse. If you’re wondering how to soothe tired feet with chronic pain, here are our top tips. Keep in mind, though, that we are not doctors, and we recommend seeing a physician for help with chronic foot pain.

Buy New Shoes

Shoes do a lot of work to support and protect your feet, but it may come as a surprise quite how often they need replacing. Shoes become less comfortable and supportive over time, and on average need to be replaced every 8-12 months, or every 300-500 miles if you’re a runner. This is especially important for people who are on their feet all day, such as athletes and nurses.

Replacing your old, worn out shoes can help to reduce chronic foot discomfort by providing support and cushioning to your tired feet. And if you wear heels regularly, consider wearing flats when you can to relieve some of the pressure on the ball of your foot.

Try Custom Inserts

Custom shoe inserts are also known as orthotics or insoles. They can help to support those who have structural foot issues such as high arches, are recovering from injury, or who spend excessive time on their feet every day at work. These supportive insoles can help to relieve the pressure on your feet to keep them in an aligned position and prevent pain.

How to Prevent Foot Discomfort

Knowing how to soothe tired feet is one thing, but preventing foot discomfort in the first place should be a priority. Here are the best ways to protect and support your feet when you know you will be spending a lot of time standing.

Take Breaks Throughout the Day

If you’re on your feet all day for work, try to take a break every couple of hours to rest your feet. If sitting down at your place of work is frowned upon, don’t be afraid to take an extended bathroom break to find some relief from standing! This is also a great time to squeeze in a quick foot massage, too.

Wear High-Quality Shoes and/or Supportive Inserts

Now we know that it's important to replace our shoes on the regular, but choosing the right replacements is important, too. Proper shoes will provide support and cushioning to keep your muscles, tendons, and bones in alignment, even when you’re spending hours on your feet. A visit to your podiatrist is never a bad idea, either, to make sure you don’t have any structural issues such as high arches or flat feet - these may require a custom insert.

Wear High-Quality Socks

People often don’t give much thought to their socks, but your socks can be just as important as your shoes. If your socks are too tight, they can cause bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, fallen arches, or poor circulation. If your socks are too big, the excess fabric could lead to blisters and irritation. In fact, blisters are one of the most common ailments suffered by athletes. And if your socks don’t effectively wick moisture away from your skin, such as pure cotton socks, you could be at a higher risk of blisters and fungal infections.

Instead, opt for socks that are firm but not restrictive and made from a moisture-wicking fabric, such as merino wool. Athletic socks are a great choice as they are designed to be functional for long days spent on your feet.

Take Care of Your Feet With Quality Socks

If you are dealing with occasional or chronic foot pain, then proper socks are a great start to finding relief. Fitsok engineers socks that support foot health, improve athletic performance, and are comfortable to wear on long days. Support your feet with Fitsok’s advanced moisture-wicking fabrics, ankle support, high-impact cushioning, and seamless toe.

While they’re designed for athletes, Fitsok’s range of men’s and women’s socks are perfect for anyone that relies on being on their feet all day. If you’re wondering how to soothe tired feet, check out Fitsok to give your tired feet their best chance of feeling supported and soothed.