Are your feet and ankles driving you crazy? As in, literally crazy? They may well be if they're chronically painful, suggests research published in Foot & Ankle International.
British researchers had 45 adults with chronic foot and ankle pain and 45 otherwise similar adults with no chronic pain complete a battery of diagnostic questionnaires. Patients with chronic foot and ankle pain had significantly higher neuroticism scores and were more likely to have symptoms consistent with anxiety and depression than those without chronic foot and ankle pain.
Such a strong mind-body connection is understandable for anyone, but especially runners. The links below go to our resource pages on feet, ankles and common injuries to those body parts. As always, the ideal approach is to avoid developing problems through a dedicated strengthening and stretching program and wearing proper shoes.
Plantar Fasciitis Resource Page
Achilles Tendinitis Resource Page
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
