| The most common cause of heel pain is plantar | | | | frozen water |
| fasciitis | | | | bottle and a heating pad, at 5 minute increments, |
| (plan * tar fash* ee * I * tis). If you experience | | | | for 20-30 |
| a sharp pain | | | | minutes a day, three to four times a week.5. |
| in your heel when you first step down in the | | | | Stretch your calf: Before you get out of bed, |
| morning, it is | | | | wrap the towel |
| most likely due to plantar fasciitis. This type of | | | | or belt around the ball of your foot. Pull the foot |
| heel pain | | | | towards you, |
| may also occur as achiness at the end of the | | | | keeping your leg straight. You should feel a |
| day in the heel | | | | stretch in the |
| or even burning pain in the arch. Plantar fasciitis | | | | back of the calf, and this will also stretch the |
| can be | | | | bottom of the |
| associated with a heel spur, but this is not the | | | | foot. Stretch your calf throughout the day with |
| cause of the | | | | the runner's |
| pain. When the long ligament like structure | | | | stretch and spend 5-10 minutes every evening |
| (plantar fascia) | | | | stretching |
| on the bottom of the foot pulls on the heel bone | | | | your calf.6. Take anti-inflammatory medications: |
| over a | | | | Anti-inflammatory |
| period of time, a spur is formed. Only 50% of | | | | medications will help decrease the inflammation |
| individuals | | | | that |
| with plantar fasciitis have a bone spur in their | | | | occurs in the fascia as a result of the stress and |
| heel. The | | | | tearing. |
| spur will never go away, but the plantar fasciitis | | | | Make sure you decrease your activity level and |
| will. Plantar | | | | stretch and |
| fasciitis is typically caused by a new activity, a | | | | ice as much as possible during the time you are |
| new pair of | | | | taking |
| shoes, a worn out pair of shoes, a change of | | | | these medications. Otherwise, you may end up |
| routine or | | | | only |
| change in job. Individuals with flatfeet or | | | | masking the pain. Take the medication with food |
| abnormal motion in | | | | and stop |
| the feet may have a higher chance of developing | | | | taking the medication if you experience stomach |
| plantar | | | | discomfort.7. Wear supportive shoes: A supportive |
| fasciitis. Once you develop plantar fasciitis, you | | | | shoe will only bend |
| may find it | | | | at the toes. This step may seem logical, but |
| very difficult to treat.1. Identify the cause: There | | | | many |
| is typically a reason for the | | | | individuals don't realize that their comfortable |
| development of plantar fasciitis, but since the | | | | shoes lack |
| condition is | | | | support and may be contributing to their pain. |
| not typically associated with an acute injury it | | | | Test your |
| may be hard to | | | | shoe by taking it, flipping it over and grabbing the |
| remember. Once the cause is identified, try to | | | | toe area |
| stop or modify | | | | and the heel. Attempt to fold the shoe in half. If |
| the activity.2. Decrease aggravating activities: | | | | the shoe |
| Climbing up and down | | | | bends in half, then the shoe is not supportive. |
| stairs, walking or running on hills, squatting, | | | | Don't go |
| carrying heavy | | | | barefoot. See the American Podiatric Medical |
| items and walking on uneven terrain all place | | | | Association's |
| excess stress | | | | (APMA) list of approved shoes at |
| through the feet. Decrease these activities by | | | | seal/sealaccategory.html.8. Strengthen the |
| asking your | | | | muscles in your feet: Place a small towel |
| spouse, significant other or friend for help with | | | | on the floor and curl your toes on the towel as |
| the kids or | | | | you bring the |
| carrying heavy items. Avoid multiple trips up and | | | | towel towards you. Place marbles on the floor |
| down the | | | | and pick them |
| stairs at work and home. Limit gardening to | | | | up with your toes and place them in a bowl.9. |
| flatter more | | | | Wear orthotics: Prefabricated orthotics are inserts |
| even terrain. Stop running and walking for | | | | that fit |
| exercise and try | | | | into the shoe to help control motion in your feet. |
| biking or swimming. Avoid the stair stepper, the | | | | Controlling |
| treadmill | | | | abnormal motion in the feet can decrease the |
| and the elliptical machine at the gym.3. Stop | | | | stress and |
| running or walking: Keeping up aerobic activity is | | | | help the plantar fascia heal. Soft inserts available |
| important and cross training can help. Try biking | | | | at the |
| or | | | | drug store may be comfortable, but they will not |
| swimming. Most walkers hate the stationary bike | | | | help control |
| at the gym, | | | | abnormal motion. Make sure the orthotics you |
| but this isn't forever. Don't drop your heel when | | | | buy are rigid |
| you bike and | | | | or stiff from the heel to the ball of the foot.10. |
| try to avoid standing and climbing steep hills if | | | | See a podiatrist: If your symptoms persist, make |
| you cycle | | | | an |
| outdoors. If you participate in spin classes, you | | | | appointment with your podiatrist. Other |
| may need to | | | | treatments include |
| modify the class to avoid further injury to the | | | | prescription anti-inflammatory medications, steroid |
| foot. The | | | | |
| recumbent stationary bike may place excess | | | | injections, night splints, physical therapy, cast |
| stress through | | | | boots, shock |
| the arch because of the position. The classic | | | | wave therapy and surgery. Luckily, very few |
| stationary bike | | | | individuals need |
| may be more appropriate.4. Try using an ice | | | | surgery.Christine Dobrowolski is a podiatrist and |
| massage: Freeze a sports water bottle | | | | the author of |
| and place it on the floor. To decrease | | | | Those Aching Feet: Your Guide to Diagnosis and |
| inflammation and pain | | | | Treatment |
| in your arch, roll your foot over the water bottle | | | | of Common Foot Problems. To learn more about |
| for at least 20 | | | | Dr. |
| minutes twice a day. Alternate between the | | | | |