Prolonged standing or walking long distances on hard surface can lead to plantar fasciitis, say experts. Unsplash
Prolonged standing or walking long distances on hard surface can lead to plantar fasciitis, say experts. Unsplash
Prolonged standing or walking long distances on hard surface can lead to plantar fasciitis, say experts. Unsplash
Prolonged standing or walking long distances on hard surface can lead to plantar fasciitis, say experts. Unsplash

Have you experienced foot pain while staying home? Doctors explain why


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

Having a good start to the day is all about waking up on the right side of the bed. But what about if, when you place your feet on the ground for the first time in the morning, you're met with excruciating pain?

The long-term repercussions that being housebound might have on our health are still being evaluated. And one surprising, and underrated, problem is how being at home for hours on end can impact our foot health.

A sedentary lifestyle, weight gain and loss of stretching gives rise to foot stiffness and plantar fasciitis

As Dr Harpal Jadeja, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Medcare Orthopaedics and Spine Hospital, puts it: “We use our feet every day to get us around without thinking about them. They bear our weight, keep our balance and adapt to uneven surfaces, helping us move around and engage in day-to-day activities and sports. Despite the vital role they play, our feet, unfortunately, remain neglected until we feel pain and need relief.”

Being at home is both a positive and a negative

According to Dr Jadeja, being homebound for months on end is having an impact on our feet, both in positive and negative ways.

"By staying indoors, we have reduced our walking and weight-bearing activities. On one hand, this helps in the case of painful conditions like bunions and heel pain," he says. It also reduces the risk of foot-related injuries like sprains and fractures.

However, it can also lead to problems in the long run. “Inactivity over a period of time can increase body weight – which can lead to more degenerative changes in the weight-bearing joints,” says Dr Jadeja. "Staying indoors also increases domestic chores such as cooking and washing dishes that require standing for a prolonged period. This may aggravate heel pain from plantar fasciitis."

Dr Prabodhan Pravin Potdar, specialist orthopaedics at Burjeel Day Surgery Centre, Al Reem Island, adds that there are many ways our feet are affected by the isolation period.

"Lack of space around the house can lead to toe injuries. Meanwhile, a sedentary lifestyle, weight gain and loss of stretching gives rise to foot stiffness and plantar fasciitis."

What is plantar fasciitis? The problem with tile floors

According to both doctors, heel pain, like that caused by plantar fasciitis, is one of the most common foot complaints at the moment.

It occurs when the plantar fascia, a thick band of protective tissue attached to the heel bone that fans out to the toes, is partially stretched or torn, leading to an inflammation of the tissue.

Tiles do not offer significant grip and the chances of having micro tears in the plantar fascia are quite high

Some of the most common causes of the condition are excessive activity, inactivity and sudden increase in weight over a short period of time. "It's ironic," says Dr Potdar, "because doing too much as well as doing too little might lead to this condition." And the prolonged isolation period may not be helping.

According to him, walking barefoot on hard tiles around the house contributes to the issue. “Tiles do not offer significant grip and the chances of having micro tears in the plantar fascia are quite high,” he says.

It can all lead to symptoms like a sharp, throbbing pain in the morning when one first places their feet on the floor. This pain might gradually improve with movement over the day. Other symptoms of the condition include a constant ache and stiffness of the foot, and swelling around the heel and sole.

Treatments

Dr Potdar says wearing indoor footwear that has a firm grip can help. Carpeting also helps if it is throughout the house. Other treatments for plantar fasciitis include using a hot compress to increase blood flow to the area and enhance the healing of the micro tears. Stretching also helps, both from physiotherapy and from certain yoga positions. 

"Avoid jumping or running during these episodes, and weight reduction by dietary means can also help. Visiting an orthopaedic surgeon is essential to confirm diagnosis since other less common conditions may present similarly."

Dr Jadeja recommends also having adequate rest during this period. "This is one thing that that will help many painful conditions of the foot and ankle, especially where injury and inflammation is concerned. Massage is also recommended."

If the pain persists, contact your doctor. When it comes to plantar fasciitis, physiotherapy and surgery may have to be recommended.

Finally, even as restrictions ease and more people get back to their normal lives, doctors recommend exercising precaution. “Individuals getting back to active lifestyles after periods of inactivity run the risk of sustaining stress fractures or acute tendinitis,” says Potdar.

Always better to be safe than sorry.

If you go

Flying

Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.

 

Touring

Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com 

THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick

Hometown: Cologne, Germany

Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)

Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes

Favourite hobby: Football

Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain

West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership

UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby

Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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Europe's top EV producers
  1. Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
  2. Iceland (33%)
  3. Netherlands (20%)
  4. Sweden (19%)
  5. Austria (14%)
  6. Germany (14%)
  7. Denmark (13%)
  8. Switzerland (13%)
  9. United Kingdom (12%)
  10. Luxembourg (10%)

Source: VCOe 

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The biog

Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell

Favourite music: Classical

Hobbies: Reading and writing

 

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

MWTC

Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.

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The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

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How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

MATCH INFO

What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae

Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company

Despacito's dominance in numbers

Released: 2017

Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon

Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube

Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification

Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.

Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
SPECS
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Scores in brief:

  • New Medical Centre 129-5 in 17 overs bt Zayed Cricket Academy 125-6 in 20 overs.
  • William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana 188-8 in 20 overs bt One Stop Tourism 184-8 in 20 overs
  • Alubond Tigers 138-7 in 20 overs bt United Bank Limited 132-7 in 20 overs
  • Multiplex 142-6 in 17 overs bt Xconcepts Automobili 140 all out in 20 overs
New Zealand squad

Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Multitasking pays off for money goals

Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.

That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.

"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.

Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."

People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.

"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8

Price, base: Dh853,226

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm

Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Analysis

Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.

The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement. 

We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment. 

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid