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While everyone is going to have some heel pain on occasion, it becomes a cause of concern when you notice that it is around all the time. This can make it difficult to move around often and you may give up some activities that you enjoy in order to avoid some of the pain you feel. Rather than dealing with heel pain, it is a good idea to get to the root cause of it.
Before you can choose any type of solution that will help your heels to feel better, you need to look at the reason that your heels are hurting. Maybe you know all about it and just have not taken the first step to a solution. Doing your research and working with a doctor will do wonders for helping you take good care of your heels.
What Will Cause Heel Pain?
Many times we fall into the trap of thinking heel pain is just one condition. However, it is more of a symptom of many conditions. Many issues can result in heel pain and knowing which one is the root cause of your issue is important to keeping you safe.
Plantar Fasciitis Could Be Why Your Heels Hurt
This is a condition where the plantar fascia has been aggravated and strained. This is simply the band of tissue that will run through the arch of your foot, connecting the base of the toes over to the heel bone. If it is aggravated for some reason, it can cause you to feel a good deal of pain. Here are some reasons:
Achilles Tendinitis One of the Reasons That Causes Heel Pain
- If this is the reason for your heel pain, then you will notice it beneath the heel or close to the arch, especially right after you get out of bed in the morning or if you start to move after sitting still for some time.
- This condition is when the Achilles tendon starts to feel inflamed and strained. Since the Achilles tendon will connect the heel to the calf muscles, you may feel some pain in your heels. You are most likely to feel this pain in the heel or just above it and you will notice it most during or right after you are done with your activity.
Stress Fractures Cause a Lot of Heel Pain
- This is a more severe condition that can affect the heel and cause a lot of pain. When you have a stress fracture, there will be some hairline cracks that show up on the surface of the bone, in this case, the heel bone, due to lots of repetitive stress with no recovery in between. You will feel this the most when you are active and often on the underside of your heel.
Bursitis is the Most Common Reason for Heel Pain
- This condition is going to be when the fluid-filled sac that provides a cushion between the tendons and the bones starts to feel inflamed. This one will be the most noticeable along the back of the heel and can become worse when you are active or when you stand on your toes.
- These are the most common issues that you can see when there is a pain in your heels. You should take note of where the majority of the pain is felt and talk to your podiatrist to help you find the cause and get the care that you need.
Best Treatment for Heel Pain
Once you start to notice heel pain, it is important to take some proactive measures to help handle the pain. Whether it only shows up on occasion or it is starting to become a big issue that is keeping you up at night, it is a good idea to plan ahead and come up with solutions that will give you some relief.
Some of the best treatments that you can utilize when your heel is causing you pain that does not include surgery include:
Take Time to Rest to Ease Your Heel Pain
- When you first start to notice there is some pain in your heels, it is a good idea to take the time to rest. Try to minimize the amount of stress that you place on the area that is painful or inflamed, giving the arch and the heel a bit of time to recover without adding to the injury in the first place.
- You should also use caution when you wish to do any type of exercise that will put repetitive pounding and weight on the heel of your foot. You may want to consider orthotics or other solutions if you plan to do a lot of running, for example. Consider some of the occupational activities that you may be doing that cause additional stress on the foot.
Using Ice Will Give You Relief from Heel Pain
- For some conditions of the heel, adding ice to the area will be a great solution. Icing the area will numb the nerves while also reducing the swelling and inflammation in your heel and your foot. Even just a few minutes can be enough to give you some of the relief you are looking for as well.
- The best way to utilize ice on your feet is to ice them two times a day. It is best to do it for 10 to 15 minutes, using a bag of ice wrapped in a washcloth or some ice slippers that will help to hold the ice in place. It may be really cold and unusual in the beginning, but will give you a lot of relief and makes the heel feel better.
Stretching is the Most Helpful Way to Treat Heel Pain
- Any time that you start to notice heel pain happening, it is time to bring in some stretching. It may seem like a simple solution, but it will work. Often the pain that you feel in your heels will happen because the muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the heel and foot are inflexible and need some work as well.
- When you take the time to stretch out those parts of the foot, you are also strengthening and lengthening them more, helping the footwork more effectively and breaking up some of the scar tissue that may be present in the feet. Take the time to look up effective exercises that will help with heel pain.
Pain Medications Can Help You Treat Heel Pain
- In some cases, pain medication will be able to help with the pain that you feel in your heels. You should go for options like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to get the best help since they are good at reducing tenderness, pain, and swelling in the heel. You want to make sure that it will be able to get rid of some of the inflammation that you have in the heels.
- You will need to use these medications as sparingly as possible. You do not want to use them and turn them into a crutch while the condition continues to get worse. But if the heel pain is occasional and not too severe, there is nothing wrong with taking some medication to help you feel better.
Do Custom Orthotics Work for Heel Pain?
Another solution that can work really well when you have heel pain that will not go away is to choose custom orthotics. These orthotics will be able to handle a lot of the conditions that happen to the feet, giving you some of the relief that you need when nothing else seems to do the job.
It is best to visit your doctor and get a custom orthotic, rather than one that is found at your local store. These custom orthotics are designed to work with your foot, rather than being a hopeful solution that may not work. It can help with long-term heel pain that tends to struggle and not go away, giving you the permanent relief you need without surgery.
Consider a Custom Orthotic for Your Heel Pain
In many cases, one of the best ways to take care of your feet and give them the very best is to get a custom orthotic. These are created to match your foot and handle some of the pressure points and issues that are unique to your feet. If you struggle with heel pain, these custom orthotics can be an effective and safe way to deal with it.
Your doctor will be able to create a scan or a mold of your foot in their office and send it away for a custom orthotic to get made. There are also companies, such as Bilt Labs, that you can get your custom orthotics just by going online. Custom orthotics are just slipped it into your shoe after they are made and you can walk around like normal, but with little to no pain. The orthotic will take care of all the problem areas and help you walk around like normal again, taking away the heel pain at the same time.
Dealing with heel pain is something that no one wants to do. It can make moving around a challenge and will progressively get worse. That is why our team is here to help. We can work with you to come up with the best treatment plan for your hurting heels, even custom orthotics, getting you back up and walking without pain again. Bilt Labs can help you from the best custom orthotics for heel pain. Take our free quiz today to find out which orthotic type is best for your feet.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions about your health. If you have any questions about your health or are experiencing any medical problems, please contact your doctor or other healthcare provider immediately. Do not delay seeking medical attention based on the information provided in this article.
