Heel Pain

A general term for several ailments that affect the feet, heel pain is one of the most troublesome problems a person can have. A complaint of heel pain often ends up being a heel spur of plantar fascilitis. If you are experiencing any sort of heel pain, see a health care provider to ask about appropriate treatments, because problems with the feet affect your whole daily routine and lifestyle. Left untreated, conditions that cause heel pain will only worsen.

Most people experience the worst heel pain right after getting out of bed in the morning. Right after this long period of rest, when sudden weight is put on the area, severe heel pain usually ensues. Most often heel pain subsides throughout the day as nerves and tissues adjust to the inflammation.

Factors associated with heel pain are:

• sports activities and improper training (repetition causes heel pain).
• Sudden weight increases (such as pregnancy)
• A quick and sudden change in the amount of time you spend on your feet.
• Traveling up steep hills, both running and walking
• Worn out shoes
• Shoes without a cushioned sole or adequate arch support
• An abrupt change in the intensity and/or duration of athletic activities

Usually there is something amiss with the plantar fascia ligament when you experience heel pain. When this ligament is strained and pulled from where it attaches to the heel bone, the tissue becomes torn. Unsupportive shoes are often the cause of stressing the plantar fascia ligament, which runs the length of the bottom of your foot.
When you feel pain anywhere in your body, it is an indication that something is wrong. And heel pain is no exception, so see a doctor if it persists. You can still depend on the simplest treatments if you evaluate the situation early enough. Such treatments for heel pain include

• Stretching the calf
• Massaging
• Decreasing physical activities to give the heel ligament a rest
• Losing weight
• Finding better fitting shoes (raised heel and arch support)
• Icing helps reduce heel pain and swelling
• Ibuprofen
• Heel cup or bad (helps eliminate the condition and regain your mobility)