Home Care Tips To Resolve Heel Pain

We treat many different lower limb conditions and injuries, but one of the leading causes for visits to our offices is heel pain. In part, this can be explained by the fact there are several possible causes for pain in your heels.

More than that, though, your heel endures tremendous force loads while being the anchor for two key connective tissues – the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. Accordingly, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis are two of the most common conditions adult patients experience. The good news is, home care for heel pain caused by these injuries might just provide the relief you need.

You are certainly welcome to come in and see us right away if you are experiencing heel pain. We will diagnose your condition and create a treatment plan to address it. However, you may want to try a couple of things at home first. Some of the best tips for relieving heel pain at home include:

• Use over-the-counter pain relievers. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen are all options which can relieve painful symptoms. Be sure to give us a call and check with our doctors for specific dosage recommendations or reasons you shouldn’t take these medications.
• Take some time off from strenuous activity. Sometimes, the body simply needs a little time to heal and mend damaged tissue. Putting a running regimen on hold for a couple of days, for example, will enable tissues to better recover from the injury.
• Don’t take time off from ALL exercises. Sure, you can benefit from avoiding intense and high-impact activities, but you should still exercise your feet. Specifically, stretches for the plantar fascia, calf muscles, and the Achilles tendon will help to ease tightness in the tissues. Additionally, you might want to consider substituting in some low-impact activities (swimming, biking, yoga) to maintain your conditioning.
• Give your feet a soak. Soaking your feet in arnica or Epsom salts can relieve aches and pains, including in your heels!

Of course, if your home care for heel pain isn’t providing the relief you seek, it’s quite possible you will need professional treatment. Fortunately, you can always find effective foot and ankle care here at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center.