If your feet hurt after taking a shower, the cause is either the water (hot or cold) or the pressure and strain from standing up in the shower.
Here are a few possible explanations why your feet hurt after a shower and what you can do about it.
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Why Do My Feet Hurt After A Shower: 4 Possible Reasons
1. Plantar Fasciitis
A classic symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the feet after sitting or standing for some time. When you start to move again, you get a sharp stab of pain, usually on your heel.
If you like taking long showers, you could experience plantar fasciitis pain when you get out of the shower.
Plantar fasciitis is caused by overuse, stress or injury to the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that spans the bottom of your foot.
If you’ve recently been pushing yourself too much in an activity like running or walking, it might have introduced small tears in the fascia, resulting in inflammation and pain.
You’ll know it’s plantar fasciitis if the heel pain also occurs when you wake up in the morning or after you’ve been sitting for some time.
Note: Sometimes, plantar fasciitis can also cause heel spurs, a bony growth under your heel. This can add to the plantar fasciitis pain.
2. Achilles tendinitis
With achilles tendinitis, the problem area is the achilles tendon that runs down the back of your lower leg from your calf muscles to your heel.
Again, overuse, stress and injury are usually the cause of inflammation to this tendon, resulting in pain along the back of the leg or in the heel.
Like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis pain can strike after you’ve been inactive for a period of time such as after enjoying a long shower.
As you start walking, the pain flares and fades away gradually.
As it gets worse, achilles tendinitis pain can occur at any time. It can be especially severe when you place stress on the legs such as after walking, running, or standing.
You’ll begin to experience pain even before you get out of the shower.
3. Arthritic pain
As arthritis causes damage and inflammation to joints and tissue, you may experience pain and soreness in your feet after standing for a period of time.
For some people, even a few minutes of standing in the shower can leave feet hurting.
4. Corns and bunions
If you have corns or bunions on your feet, pressure on them from standing in the shower can cause pain. This usually happens if you take a long shower.
Other Causes
Other foot conditions that can cause foot pain after a shower include deiabetic neuropathy, flat feet and stress fractures.
Can Hot or Cold Water Cause Foot Pain?
Some health conditions can cause your feet to hurt when you shower with hot or cold water.
For example, if you have poor blood circulation caused by diabetes, high blood pressure or some other health condition, showering with cold water could worsen it.
This can lead to foot pain during and after a shower, then it’ll gradually recede as your feet warm up and blood flow picks up.
Another condition to be on the lookout for is Chilblains.
These are small red patches that occur on your toes after you’ve been in the cold for some time. They are caused when small blood vessels are exposed to cold temperature and get inflamed.
If you come from outside where it’s cold and jump straight into a hot shower, chilblains could turn painful.
This happens because blood comes rushing back into the blood vessels, causing them to burst. This leads to swelling and pain.
If you notice red patches or lesions on your toes and fingers after you’ve been outside, take a lukewarm shower instead of a hot one.
How to Prevent Foot Pain During and After a Shower
- If you have a foot condition like plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis, or bunions try to cut back on your shower time. The less time you spend standing up, the less your feet will hurt.
- Don’t stand up when showering. Sit on a shower stool to take pressure and strain off your feet.
- Get a soft shower mat that you can stand on when showering. It’ll cushion your feet, preventing excessive pressure on them. Make sure the mat has an anti-slip surface.
- If you often get chilblains when you go out into the cold, put on warm insulating gear to protect your feet and hands. Get thick socks, waterproof shoes, and a pair of warm gloves.
- If you like to take long showers and you have plantar fasciitis or achilles tendinitis, try to move around in place when showering. This will maintain blood circulation and prevent pain when you start walking again.
If you are not sure what’s causing your feet to hurt after a shower, or you think it’s related to a health condition like diabetes or arthritis, talk to your doctor for advice and possible treatment.
