HEEL PAIN: Pain at the bottom of the heel

HEEL PAIN: pain at the bottom of the heel

Plantar fasciitis: It is one of the most common causes of heel pain. Plantar fascia is a thick membrane like structure which originates from heel bone. Prolonged standing or running or other sports activity may cause tensile overloading and pain in this plantar fascia.

Most common symptom is heel pain that is worst in the morning when the patient takes the first few steps and reduces with activity after few hours. Your doctor may find tenderness localized to the inner side of the heel.

Few people are more prone to develop heel pain due to plantar fasciitis these include obese people, weak foot muscles, people with flat feet, pronated feet and feet with tight heel cord. If you run on hard surface you may also develop heel pain due to plantar fasciitis.

Treatment involves oral painkillers and stretching exercises of plantar fascia. Heel pads don’t cure the disease but can be used to relieve pressure.

You need to do these exercises for at least 6 weeks to see significant relief in the heel pain.

1. Pull your great toe as shown in the picture below. By doing this you can feel tight cord like structure in your feet. This is plantar fascia which you are stretching. Keep it stretched for 30 seconds. Then relax for 5 seconds. Repeat it for 5 times and do this exercises twice a day.

• Towel stretching of plantar fascia.: Sit on the floor with leg straight. Now stretch plantar fascia by a towel as shown in the picture below. You will also feel stretch in your calf muscles. Keep the plantar fascia and calf muscles stretched for 30 seconds and then relax for 5 seconds. Repeat it for 5 times and do this exercises for twice a day.

• Ice rolling for heel pain: In the morning when it is most diificult to bear weight on the heel do ice rolling as shown in the picture below. Roll ice bottles or cold water bottle by your sole. Start from the toes and roll your foot till the back of the heel. Roll it for one minute and repeat it for 3 times.

• If still you are not getting relief other options include shock wave therapy and surgical release of plantar fascia. Shock wave therapy is a effective treatment for heel pain due to plantar fasciitis. It is done 2 ot three times a week with a instrument which generates shock waves. Initially your pain may increase due to break down of scar tissue.

This is required when all other methods fail. This is a minimally invasive surgery. In this plantar fascia is released by a 2 cm incision at the heel.