Do you find yourself frequently suffering from heel pain? It's a common condition that can be caused by a multitude of things, such as walking on hard surfaces too much or wearing shoes that are worn down. A visit to the podiatrist will help determine the exact cause of your heel pain so that it can be treated properly, but until you can get an appointment you can try some of these home remedies to provide you with temporary pain relief.
Exercising and Stretching
Exercising and stretching the plantar fascia ligament and the Achilles tendon increases their strength and flexibility so that they are less likely to become sore. If you already have pain in your heel, stretching and exercising helps loosen the ligaments and tendons to relieve your pain.
You can exercise the muscles and ligaments in the soles of your feet by picking up small objects with your toes.
- Sit in a chair.
- Place a mug on the floor in front of your feet, within reach.
- Scatter small pebbles or marbles on the floor around the mug.
- One by one, pick the objects up with your toes and place them in the cup.
- Repeat the exercise with your other foot.
As the exercise becomes easy, you should consider increasing the frequency and length in which you complete it.
To stretch the ligaments and tendons in your feet:
- Stand up facing the wall.
- Lean forward, placing your hands against the wall to hold your weight.
- Step back with one foot, keeping your leg straight at the knee, and place the foot flat on the floor. You should feel stretching in your heel and calf.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds.
- Repeat with the other foot.
As the stretching exercise becomes easier, increase the number of repetitions you do and the length of each repetition.
Ice and Massage
Icing and massaging your feet is a great way to relieve heel pain at the end of the day.
- Place ice packs on the soles of your feet for 15 minutes.
- Remove the ice packs and use your thumbs to massage the sore area across the width of your foot for two minutes to increase the blood flow in the area.
- Repeat the process as needed.
Alternatively, you can place a frozen bottle of water or a frozen golf ball between your foot and the floor and roll it back and forth. This will massage and ice the painful area at simultaneously.
Home remedies will give you temporary pain relief, but to get rid of your heel pain permanently, you need to treat the problem causing the pain. So, you should consider making an appointment with a podiatrist (like those at Gibbs Foot & Ankle Clinics) to discuss your heel pain.
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