With the walking season upon us… heel pain begins to increase!
(Speed) walking regularly is one of the best forms of exercise that is however until the niggle in our heels becomes more prevalent and just seemingly doesn’t go away! Often times we may walk the same journey or decide last minute on a new route this sudden new terrain for example may induce an ankle roll or a back jarr however..
Heel pain due to plantar fasciitis or achilles tendinitis can seriously limit our ability to walk which then affects our daily routine. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause. It typically causes sharp pain at the heels especially with the first steps in the morning or after periods of rest.
Stretching and icing can be useful with many different protocols and treatments. However as a caveat of course there are many sources of heel pain.
Sites of heel pain
A person may experience heel pain at specific sites. These may have different causes and treatments:
- Bottom of the heel. Health experts typically refer to this as plantar fasciitis. Pain may occur here when too much pressure damages or tears the tissues, leading to inflammation.
- Achilles tendon. Pain in this tendon on the back of the lower leg may result from repetitive stress, such as from tight calf muscles or suddenly increasing exercise activity and intensity.
- Side of the foot. Lateral foot pain affects the outside of the heel or foot, and medial foot pain affects the inside edge. It may result from stress fractures, sprains, TTS and other conditions.
Risk factors
The following are some of the risk factors:
- having tight calf muscles
- having high arches
- running excessively
- being an older adult
- carrying extra weight
- having a job that requires a lot of standing or walking
- having low arches
How can you prevent heel pain?
It may not be possible to prevent all cases of heel pain, yet there are some easy steps that you can take to avoid injury to the heel and prevent pain:
- Wear shoes that fit properly and support the foot.
- Wear the right shoes for physical activity.
- Stretch your muscles before exercising.
- Pace yourself during physical activity.
- Maintain a healthy diet.
- Rest when you feel tired or when your muscles ache.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
Are you suffering from any foot condition? At The Chelsea Clinic, we can help. One of our podiatrist can assist and then recommend what treatments are best to get you back on track. Podiatrist South Kensington
Schedule an appointment here or you may call us at +44 (0) 207 101 4000.
We hope you have a feetastic day!
-The Chelsea Clinic and Team
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