I have a lot of foot pain when I get out of bed each morning. Is there something I can do?

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The good news is that this is correctable without medication or surgery. The bad news is it may take a little time and some effort on your part to resolve it. It sounds like you are in the early stages of Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar Fascia is a non-contractile tissue on the bottom of your foot that provides tension and support for the arch of your foot. This fascia can become shortened and/or irritated due to incorrect foot wear, prolonged inactivity, poor lower extremity mechanics or a recent return or increase in activity. Here are a few ideas you can try. If you spend a lot of time walking, make sure you buy new shoes at least every three to four months. The shock absorbance of the sole of a shoe breaks down much faster than the upper. Your shoes may look new on top, but most likely are not supporting you from the ground up. This means that your plantar fascia has to compensate and absorb the shock. Start stretching your calves. Standing with the ball of one foot on a step and then drop your heal down until you feel a comfortable stretch in your calf. Hold this for about 45 seconds, alternate to the opposite foot then repeat. This should be done three to four times on each calf and can be done two to three times a day. One last item, try rolling a golf ball under the sole of your foot with some notable pressure, do this for five to 10 minutes under each foot once a day. This is painful, but will slowly help break up the adhesions that have formed over the years. If you perform all these regularly and your foot pain does not resolve or seriously diminish in four to six weeks, then contact your local health care professional.