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"I wake up in the morning and feel a sharp, stabbing pain, right in the centre of my heel...later on the pain subsides and comes back as a dull ache..."
Heel pain, heel spurs and Plantar Fasciitis is a very common foot complaint in Ireland; an estimated 100,000 people in this country suffer from heel pain. However, in most cases there is an easy, simple and affordable treatment solution available to ease or eliminate pain in the heel area.
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Heel pain is always experienced with a person's first steps in the morning, when getting out of bed. Usually, a sharp stabbing pain presents itself at the bottom or front of the heel area, sometimes extending to the back of the heel.
The pain will diminish throughout the day as the nerves and tissue adjust themselves and become accustomed to the inflamed area. However, after longer periods of inactivity (e.g. sitting at home or driving) heel pain will return stronger and sharper.
During rest or inactivity, the ligaments under the foot (Plantar Fascia) will tighten and shorten. When getting up and body weight is rapidly placed on the foot the ligaments must stretch and quickly lengthen, causing micro-tearing of the plantar fascia band. This is why you'll experience, the stabbing heel pain with your first steps in the morning or after long periods of rest.
It should also be noted that heel pain sufferers often also experience very tight calf muscles, combined with tender Achilles Tendons (the tissue at the back of the heel).
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The most common cause of heel pain (and also heel spurs) is a condition called "Plantar Fasciitis" (The Latin term for inflammation of Plantar Fascia).
Commonly heel pain is caused by a painful stretching and micro-tearing of the Plantar Fascia. The Plantar Fascia is the flat band of ligaments that runs under the foot and forms your arch. The Plantar Fascia runs from your heel bone to your toes, fanning out to each of the toes.
Normally, the Plantar Fascia band is flexible and strong, however due to various factors such as abnormal stress, excessive weight, age, or poor foot function, the Fascia can become weak. For example, a lot of people suffer from over-pronation or fallen arches. This means that the foot flattens and rolls inwards with every step you take.
Over-pronation puts a lot of strain on the Plantar Fascia and as result the attachment of the Plantar Fascia into the heel bone will stretch and pull away from the bone. Next irritation, pain and inflammation occurs. This painful condition is what doctors refer to as "Plantar Fasciitis". In some cases - if left untreated - after a while a bony growth will develop at the bottom of the heel bone. This is called a Heel Spur.
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In addition to over-pronation, they are other factors that play a role with heel pain, such as:
- standing or walking on hard surfaces, for longer periods of time
- being overweight or pregnant
- having tight calf muscles and/or tight Achilles Tendons
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Fortunately most cases of heel pain and heel spurs can be treated with simple, affordable and non-surgical methods. These are the most effective heel pain treatment solutions:
• Rest: avoid long walks, running, sports or standing for long periods
• Ice: apply an ice pack for about 5-10 minutes onto the heel area
• Weight loss
• Stretching exercises (download Exercises Sheet below)
• Wear an orthotic inside your shoes
For long-term relief of heel pain it is important to treat the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms. Therefore, one should correcting poor foot function and over-pronation with a foot orthotic.
Developed by Podiatrists, Footlogics orthotics correct over-pronation and greatly improve poor foot function. By wearing Footlogics in your shoes, the excessive tension on the Plantar Fascia is being released, thus treating the actual cause of "Plantar Fasciitis". In addition, a cushioning shock-absorbing heel pad under the orthotic reduces the impact on the painful heel, providing relief and walking comfort. Footlogics biomechanical arch supports were developed by a team of Australian and European Podiatrists (foot specialists) and Orthotists (designers of orthotic devices). We are proud to state that Footlogics orthotics have helped many thousands of heel pain sufferers across Europe and Australia.
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In addition to wearing orthotics we strongly recommend you do some exercises. A recent Heel Pain study by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) showed that by wearing foot orthotics, combined with a number of simple stretching and strengthening exercises, 95% of patients experienced substantial and lasting relief from their heel pain symptoms!
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Recommended orthotics for Heel Pain relief: Footlogics Casual or Comfort |
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