When your foot or ankle hurts, every step can feel like it might make things worse. You might limp, avoid walking where you can or keep your weight off it as much as possible. It is natural to want to protect it, but for most foot and ankle pain, walking is part of what helps it get better.

Why walking can feel risky

Your feet and ankles carry your whole body weight with every step, so it is understandable to worry when they hurt. Some people fear that walking will make an injury worse, or that the pain means something is broken or torn.

For most everyday foot and ankle pain, like a rolled ankle, a sore heel or an aching arch, walking is safe and can help it settle.

When walking may help

Research on ankle sprains has found that people who start gentle movement and walking early tend to recover more quickly than those who keep the ankle still for a long time. Tissues in your feet and ankles get stronger when they are loaded gradually, and they become weaker and stiffer when they are not.

The same is true for other kinds of foot pain, like pain under the heel or along the arch. Gentle, regular walking helps these tissues adapt, while complete rest can leave them less able to cope when you start walking again.

Hurt versus harm

Pain does not always mean damage. Your pain system can be a bit like a sensitive alarm, going off to protect you even when there is no real threat. Feeling some discomfort when you walk does not mean you are making things worse.

Footwear that helps

The right shoes can make walking much more comfortable. Look for:

• Cushioning under the heel.
• A secure heel that does not slip.
• Enough room for your toes.
• A supportive sole, rather than very flat or worn shoes.

Wearing supportive shoes around the house, rather than walking barefoot on hard floors, can help too. If your shoes are well worn, the cushioning may have flattened, so a newer pair can feel noticeably kinder.

Building up your walking

Starting small and building gradually tends to work well. Some ideas:

• Start with short walks on flat, even ground.
• Break longer walks into shorter ones spread across the day.
• Add a few minutes at a time as your foot feels easier.
• Leave hills, uneven paths and long distances until later.
• Use a walking pole or stick at first if it helps you walk more normally.

Try to walk as normally as you comfortably can, rather than limping, as limping can put extra strain on other areas.

Reading how your foot responds

A useful guide is to check how your foot feels the next morning. A mild ache that settles by the next day is usually fine. If your foot or ankle is sorer or more swollen the next morning, or you notice yourself limping, make the next walk a little shorter.

If you have had a fall or twisted your ankle and cannot put any weight on it at all, it is worth getting it checked by a doctor.

Keeping your foot moving

Gentle ankle movement helps your foot feel less stiff. Something to try a few times a day:

• Point your foot away from you, then bring it back towards you.
• Make slow circles with your ankle in each direction.
• Rise onto your toes and lower slowly, holding onto something steady.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of heel raises you can use at your own pace.

Building strength

As walking feels easier, building calf and foot strength helps your foot cope with more. Heel raises, rising onto your toes and lowering slowly, are a good place to start. Balancing on one leg, holding onto something if needed, helps your ankle feel steadier too.

Your VIDA pain check-in can help you notice how your foot responds as you walk more.

What to take away

• For most foot and ankle pain, walking is safe and helps it settle.
• Pain does not always mean damage.
• Wear supportive shoes and avoid going barefoot on hard floors.
• Build up walking gradually, starting on flat ground.
• Use how your foot feels the next morning to guide you.

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