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Osteopath treating seasonal foot pain
aches and pains, Chronic Pain, exercises, foot pain, health, osteopath, Osteopathy, Spikey Massage Balls , , , ,

Seasonal Foot Pain

Foot Pain

Seasonal foot pain often occurs as we move from heavier footware which is less flexible, but more supportive to lighter more flexible but less supportive footware.  Have you recently changed from your winter boots, work shoes or heavy walking boots, to lighter trainers, summer shoes, or even flip flops? How are your feet feeling? Mine have been aching as they are not used to the lack of support.

Our winter boots and shoes support and restrict the movement of the joints in our feet more than our summer shoes. Summer sandals lack a lot of the material structure that comes with weatherproof footwear, whilst trainers tend to be made from softer material which does not support as well as leather etc. As a result, as we shift between restrictive to more relaxed footwear and back again, the soft tissues in our feet, such as ligaments and muscles can fatigue, become inflamed, or even strain as they try to adjust to either an increased need to stabilise your feet, or a restriction in movement.

If foot pain is ignored it can become chronic pain resulting in conditions such as plantar fasciitis. Therefore it is important to address foot pain quickly. Here are some tips for you to consider, and some exercises to try. 

Barefoot Shoes For Foot Pain.

For some people barefoot shoes help them to overcome this seasonal foot pain. These are designed to mimic the way in which your feet would work if you were walking or running without shoes on.  This helps to build strength and stability in the feet, and increases the sensory connection with the ground. 

If you fancy trying barefoot shoes you should look for shoes which have 

  • A wide toe box – this helps improve balance and stability as it allows your toes to spread naturally. 
  • Zero-drop foot bed – this ensures that the heel and forefoot are the same difference from the ground so that you maintain a more natural foot position. 
  • Flexible sole – a thin sole which flexes and bends with your feet as you move, increasing the sensory feedback from the ground and allowing a more natural foot movement. 
  • No arch support – this encourages the small muscles of your feet to work to mobilies and support the joints in your feet. 

If you do decide to try out barefoot shoes, please remember to go slowly, your feet need time to adjust, so start off with wearing new shoes for 30 minutes a day and gradually build up as the muscles strengthen. 

Exercises for Foot Pain .

I thought I would share a few of my favourite exercises to help stretch your feet out, and to reduce any aches and pains caused by a change in footwear. 

Alphabets

These are great as they can be done anytime you are sitting down. Take your shoes off and spread your toes. Imagine you are holding a pen between your big toes and second toe. 

Lift your foot off of the floor and draw the letters of the alphabet starting with a. 

Make sure you work smoothly and steadily through the alphabet. 

Repeat 1 with each foot twice a day. 

Toes Curls 

Sitting with your feet out in front of you – you may find this easier sitting on a bed or the floor. 

Point your feet and curl your toes. Hold for 5-10 seconds. 

You should feel a stretch across the top of your toes and your feet and possibly up into the front of your ankles. 

This will help the mobility of your toes. 

Hold for 5-10 secs Repeat 3-5 times 

Toe Extensions

Sitting on a chair, bed or the floor, with your legs out in front of you. 

Reverse the toe curl so that your toes are lifting upwards towards you. 

Hold for 5-10 secs and repeat 3-5 times. 

Toe Waves

Place your feet on the floor and imagine that your toes are people in a stadium doing a mexican wave. 

Try to lift each toe independently and then the next and the next until you have a sequential rhythmic movement. 

3 sets x 6 repetitions. 

Spikey Massage Ball for the Plantar Fascia

This is the soft tissue under the foot, which can become quite irritated. 

Start by sitting in a chair, once you are used to this you can move to standing so you can exert more pressure. 

Place a spikey ball under your feet, and roll the ball up and down your foot between the heel and toes. 

Try to focus on the arch and ball of the foot as you may find it irritates your heel pain. 

30 secs – 1 minute for each foot.

How Osteopathy can help with Foot Pain

After a discussion about your pain and a full examination. Using osteopathic techniques an osteopath will ensure that all the joints in your feet, ankles, and further up your body are working, and that the soft tissues such as the plantar fascia, muscles and ligaments are loosened and stretched. If you need help with your foot pain please book an appointment with your osteopath. 

Osteo Therapy Hub clinic guide to avoiding lower back pain while gardening in Chislehurst and Sidcup.
aches and pains, Back Pain, exercises, gardening, osteopath, Osteopathy, Patient Tips , , , , ,

How Can I Prevent Back Pain from Gardening? | Osteo & Therapy Hub

If you’ve recently spent a long bank holiday weekend preparing your soil, digging, weeding, or clearing up winter debris, you are not alone if your body is feeling the strain. At the Osteo & Therapy Hub at Frogpool Manor Farm, we frequently welcome Chislehurst and Sidcup residents who need help resolving acute aches, stiffness, and lower back pain after a hard weekend in the garden.

Statistics show that over 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point. Furthermore, a Gallup poll revealed that 47% of people experiencing back pain attributed it directly to gardening—a figure that rises to 56% for those over the age of 35.

Much like an athlete starting a new playing season, your body can be out of conditioning after a sedentary winter. When you suddenly introduce hours of heavy lifting and bending on wet, heavy spring ground, the musculoskeletal system reacts. However, with the right osteopathic preparation, gardening shouldn’t cause you pain.

Infographic showing calories burned during spring gardening tasks like weeding and mowing.

What Are the Health Benefits of Gardening?

Whether gardening is your ultimate passion or a chore you put off (like me!), the sense of well-being you feel afterward is deeply rooted in science. Stepping outside triggers physical and mental health benefits that actively support your body’s recovery systems.

1. How many calories does gardening burn?

According to a Harvard Medical School study, one hour of yard work provides a highly effective full-body workout:

  • Clearing winter debris: ~400 kcal/hour

  • Planting flowers: ~200–400 kcal/hour

  • Weeding: ~200–400 kcal/hour

  • Mowing the lawn: ~250–350 kcal/hour

2. The Physical & Musculoskeletal Benefits

  • Strengthens Underused Muscles: Gardening requires multi-directional movement, stretching joints and engaging deep stabilizing muscles that often remain dormant if you have a sedentary desk job. This sudden engagement is exactly why you might feel delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for a couple of days afterward.

  • Cardiovascular & Blood Pressure Support: The sustained physical effort gives your heart a healthy workout, helping to naturally lower blood pressure.

  • Immune System Boost: Direct exposure to soil bacteria trains your immune system to develop more effective responses. Additionally, outdoor sunlight provides vital Vitamin D, which regulates immune function and aids calcium absorption for stronger bones.

3. Mental Health & Nervous System Regulation

A study published in Why Garden? – Attitudes and Perceived Health Benefits (May 2021) found that gardening just 2 to 3 times a week yields the maximum benefit for personal well-being scores.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Urban Green Spaces and Health report, contact with nature triggers the parasympathetic nervous system. This shifts your body out of a “fight-or-flight” stress state, reducing anxiety, lowering cortisol (stress hormones), and improving sleep quality.

 7 Osteopath-Approved Tips to Prevent Gardening Injuries

To protect your spine from sustained flexion and shearing forces, implement these ergonomic and clinical adjustments into your gardening routine:

  1. Warm Up and Stretch Before You Start: Treat gardening like a sport. Perform gentle dynamic stretches for your hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders before grabbing your tools to increase blood flow to the tissues.
  2. Maintain Ergonomic Posture: Always bend at your knees and hips, keeping your spine neutral rather than rounding your lower back. When digging, consciously alternate your stance and the direction you twist to prevent repetitive strain on one side of your pelvis.
  3. Use the Right Tools for Your Height: Set up a potting bench at a comfortable height to avoid hunching over seedlings. Use long-handled tools to maximize leverage, and utilize a sturdy step stool for hard-to-reach hedges to avoid overextending your shoulders.
Correct ergonomic posture for gardening showing how to bend at the knees to prevent lower back strain.
  1. Manage Your Time via the “30-Minute Rule”: Do not try to clear the whole garden in one afternoon. Break your work into manageable chunks—such as limiting yourself to one wheelie bin of waste per session—and change your physical position or take a break every 30 minutes.
  2. Stay Hydrated: Dehydration reduces the fluid content in your spinal discs, making them more susceptible to injury. Drink water every time you take a break (roughly every half hour), treating it with the same hydration discipline you would use at the gym.
  3. Delegate Tasks to Small Helpers: Children love being outside. Give them their own patch of soil or let them handle the weeds in hard-to-reach places. It keeps them engaged and saves your lower back from awkward bending.
  4. Practice Sun and Skin Safety: Wear a hat and apply high-factor sunscreen between 11 AM and 3 PM. Wear loose, protective clothing to safeguard your limbs if you are clearing thick brambles or stinging nettles.
Family using ergonomic gardening tools and kneeling pads to protect joints from stiffness.

How Can Osteopathy Help with Gardening Back Pain?

If you are feeling stiff, locked up, or achy despite trying regular stretching, it means your musculoskeletal system may have suffered minor micro-tears or joint restrictions from overexertion.

At Osteo & Therapy Hub, we use targeted manual therapy, joint mobilisation, and soft tissue massage to relieve muscle tension, restore pelvic alignment, and improve spinal mobility. If your back pain doesn’t settle within 48 hours of rest, let us provide you with personalised clinical advice to get you moving freely again.

Book an Appointment Online Today to loosen up your joints, resolve your discomfort, and safely bring your garden back to life this summer.