Fifteen Ways to Fight Heel Pain

There are many different causes of heel pain, but the most common cause is plantar fasciitis (plan * tar fash* ee * I * tis). If you experience a sharp pain in your heel when you first step down in the morning, it is most likely due to plantar fasciitis. This problem is a result of excess stress through a long ligament type structure (the plantar fascia) in the bottom of the foot. The excess stress causes tearing and results in inflammation and pain. The classic symptoms are pain in the heel at the first step in the morning, or upon rising after long periods of rest. Many will complain of a sharp pain in the heel when they step out of their car or after finishing their lunch break. Other individuals only experience heel pain at the end of the day or during certain types of activity like running, soccer or tennis. The pain may extend into the arch and feel achy at the end of the day.

Individuals develop plantar fasciitis for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons for the development of plantar fasciitis is wearing poor quality or worn out shoes. Another common reason is starting a new activity, such as walking or running, after a period of inactivity. Many active individuals develop plantar fasciitis after incorporating hills, stairs or uneven terrain into their training routine. A new job that requires standing all day or switching to a job with a harder surface, like cement floors, may contribute to it's development. Individuals with flatfeet or excess pronation (rolling in of the feet) may have a natural predisposition for plantar fasciitis. Regardless of how the problem started, the treatment is aimed at decreasing the stress on the arch and decreasing the inflammation.

1. Identify the cause: There is usually a reason for the development of plantar fasciitis, but since the condition is not typically associated with an acute injury it may be hard to remember. The pain may have gradually developed after starting a new training routine, changing the routine, running or walking on a new surface, switching shoes, wearing worn out shoes or starting a new job. Once the cause is identified, stop the activity or modify it.

2. Avoid aggravating activities: Going up and down stairs, walking or running on hills, squating, lifting heavy items and walking on uneven terrain all aggravate this condition. Try to decrease these by limiting the number of times you go up and down the stairs and avoiding hills. If you must squat down, keep the affected foot in front and flat on the ground. Do not lift or carry heavy items including your kids. Use a stroller or have your spouse, significant other or friend carry them.

3. Stop running or walking: Aerobic activity is important to maintain and cross training can help. Try biking or swimming. Most walkers hate the stationary bike at the gym, but remember this isn't forever. Don't drop your heel when you bike and try to avoid standing and hills if you cycle outdoors. If you participate in spin classes, you may need to modify the class to avoid further injury to the foot. The recumbent stationary bike may place excess stress through the arch because of the position. The classic stationary bike is more appropriate.

4. Use an ice massage: Freeze a sports water bottle or a juice can and place it on the floor. Roll your foot over the water bottle for at least 20 minutes twice a day. This helps decrease the inflammation in the foot while stretching out the arch.

5. Use a contrast bath: Icing helps decrease inflammation occurring within a 48-72 hour period. To help decrease chronic inflammation, try contrasting between ice and heat. Start with an ice pack on the heel and/or arch for 5 minutes. Switch to a heating pack or a hot water bath for 5 minutes. Alternate between the two for 20- 30 minutes 3-4 times a week. This may be more time consuming than the ice pack alone, but can bring considerable relief.

6. Roll a ball under your foot: Take a tennis ball, soft ball or even a rolling pin and roll your foot over it to help stretch out the plantar fascia. This can be done while watching TV or reading the paper. Rolling the foot over the tennis ball can also be done at work if you have a desk job or during a lunch break. (This should not cause pain. Don't continue if you have pain).

7. Stretch your calf in the morning: If you have pain in the morning upon waking, place a towel or a belt on your dresser. Before you get out of bed, wrap the towel or belt around the ball of your foot. By pulling the foot towards you and keeping your leg straight, you should feel a stretch in the back of the calf. This will also stretch the bottom of the foot. This is not time consuming or difficult to do, but it does require adjusting to a new routine.

8. Stretch your calf throughout the day: Spend about 5-10 minutes each evening stretching the calf as described above or with the runner's stretch. To really help keep the calf and the bottom of the foot stretched out, try and stretch for 30 seconds, 10 times a day.

9. Take anti-inflammatory medications: Anti-inflammatory medications, like naproxen or ibuprofen, will help decrease the inflammation that occurs in the fascia as a result of the tearing. You don't want to mask the pain with these medications. If you decrease the pain with the anti-inflammatory medications but continue to participate in an activity which causes tearing and inflammation of the plantar fascia, you are not healing. Continue resting, icing and stretching while you take the medications. Take the medication with food and stop taking the medication if you experience stomach discomfort.

10. Lose Weight: This is probably the last thing you wanted to hear. In fact, there is a good chance that you have gained some weight since the onset of your heel pain due to a decrease in activity. But, there is no way around the fact that increased weight on the body transmits to the feet. Increasing the stress on the plantar fascia can worsen plantar fasciitis, making it more difficult to treat. Eat smart and try to incorporate aerobic activity which decreases the impact on the feet.

11. Wear supportive shoes: This step may seem logical, but most individuals don't realize how many shoes lack support. A supportive shoe will only bend at the toes. Test all of your shoes and don't assume your running shoe is a supportive shoe. Take your shoe and flip it over. Grab the toe area and the heel and try to fold the shoe. If the shoe bends in half, then the shoe is not supportive. Don't go barefoot. Get up in the morning, do your stretch and then slip your feet in a supportive slipper or clog. See the American Podiatric Medical Association's (APMA) list of approved shoes at www.apma.org/ seal/sealaccategory.html.

12. Try anti-fatigue mats: These mats help to decrease the stress through the heel and add some shock absorption to the floor. The mats can be a great asset for employees who work on a hard surface. You may want to consider them for home if you spend many hours standing in a workshop or in the kitchen. See the APMA's list of approved anti-fatigue mats at www.apma.org/ seal/sealaccategory.html.

13. Strengthen the muscles in your feet: Place a thin towel on your kitchen floor. Place your foot over the base of the towel closest to you. Bring the towel towards you by curling the toes and gripping the towel as it slides under your foot. Place marbles on the floor and pick them up one by one with your toes and place them in a bowl.

14. Wear orthotics: Prefabricated orthotics are semi-rigid inserts that fit into the shoe to help control motion in your feet. Controlling abnormal motion in the feet can decrease the stress in the plantar fascia. Soft inserts available at the drug store may be comfortable, but they will not help control abnormal motion.

15. Try a night splint: A night splint holds the foot at 90 degrees while you sleep. This keeps the foot and the calf stretched out all night long. Night splints are an effective treatment, but can be quite uncomfortable. Some individuals have more luck with the sock night splints than with the rigid splints. These devices are available online, but may be covered by your insurance when dispensed by your doctor.

If your symptoms persist, see a podiatrist.

Christine Dobrowolski is a podiatrist and the author of Those Aching Feet: Your Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Foot Problems. To learn more about Dr. Dobrowolski and her book visit http://www.skipublishing.com/ .

---

Google News Updated : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:55:34 GMT Taiwan tour operators sceptical about China boom - AFP WELT ONLINE Taiwan tour operators sceptical about China boom AFP - 6 hours ago TAIPEI (AFP) - The launch of regular direct flights between China and Taiwan has been hailed as a symbol of progress and a boon to tourism, but industry workers here are not all convinced. Mainland visitors warmly welcomed in Taiwan Xinhua A Side Competition in Beijing: Island vs. Mainland New York Times AllAfrica.com - International Herald Tribune - Wall Street Journal - Reuters all 933 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:15:38 GMT Jesse Helms dies at 86; NC senator opposed equal rights - Detroit Free Press ABC News Jesse Helms dies at 86; NC senator opposed equal rights Detroit Free Press - 5 hours ago Conservative icon Jesse Helms, the former Republican senator from North Carolina, died Friday. He was 86. Helms, who served 30 years in the Senate, died of natural causes in Raleigh, NC, an aide said. Video: A Look Back At Jesse Helms CBS Helms never changed on civil rights opposition The Associated Press Washington Post - Wall Street Journal - Boston Globe - San Jose Mercury News all 2,343 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:14:24 GMT Obama cites faith as key to change - Boston Globe Obama cites faith as key to change Boston Globe - 5 hours ago Barack Obama called "active faith" an obligation of religious Americans and a chief agent of societal change in a speech yesterday at the national meeting of a black church group. For Republicans, the Senate outlook is bad Los Angeles Times Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing The Associated Press Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Zanesville Times Recorder - Wall Street Journal all 346 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:58:31 GMT Google's new privacy link - CNET News CNET News Google's new privacy link CNET News - 19 hours ago Google's decision, noted Thursday in a corporate blog and a public policy blog, was an attempt to quell a controversy over the posting of its privacy policy. Google Replaces Google With Privacy On Its Home Page eFluxMedia Google Changes Home Page, Adding Link to Privacy Policy New York Times PC World - Los Angeles Times - TechCrunch - Search Engine Land all 46 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:59:20 GMT Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) - Bloomberg Voice of America Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) Bloomberg - 14 hours ago By Eliana Raszewski July 5 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina's lower house of congress approved the government's plan to increase taxes on exports of grains and oilseeds, risking a resumption of three months of strikes by farmers. Export Tax That Angers Farmers Advances in Argentina New York Times Argentina lawmakers approve farm export tax hike guardian.co.uk The Associated Press - BBC News - Reuters - AFP all 149 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:41:30 GMT Google trying to take privacy seriously - ZDNet ABC News Google trying to take privacy seriously ZDNet - 13 hours ago This week was a very interesting week as far as Google and privacy goes. First, a burglary (the same on that affected CNET earlier last month) was confirmed to have affected all Google employees hired before December 31, 2005. Court order on YouTube user data fans privacy fears Reuters • YouTube Ordered To Release User Data Washington Post Slashdot - New York Times - Ars Technica - Wall Street Journal all 921 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:49:42 GMT Oil Prices Drive Stocks to Bear Market - Washington Post Calgary Herald Oil Prices Drive Stocks to Bear Market Washington Post - 7 hours ago US stocks fell last week, giving the Dow Jones industrial average a 20 percent bear-market drop from October's all-time high as record oil prices threatened global economic growth. Jobless report, long weekend equal small market gains Denver Post Market down, but not panicky Seattle Times Mail Tribune - The Associated Press - BusinessWeek - Bloomberg all 460 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:50:10 GMT Automate Your Blogging Display RSS Feeds on Your Website

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Rogue Online Pharmacies: The Internet War Of 2005

Online Pharmacy owners who haven't been working within moral and... Read More

Are You Suffering From Addiction?

Many researchers believe that addiction is a behavior that can... Read More

Emollients and Lubricant Drugstore Laxatives

Stool Softener Laxatives - EmollientsStool softeners and emollients work by... Read More

Implant Dentistry ? The Convenient and Safe Alternative to Dentures

If you are missing a tooth or a group of... Read More

Online Pharmacy Watch: DEA Does Spring Cleaning Of Illegal Internet Pharmacies

Since early 2004, it has become more apparent every day... Read More

Finding the Medical Supplies you need!

It's now possible to locate and purchase a wide variety... Read More

The Check Doctor Credentials Theory

In 2003, there where more than 890 million doctor visits... Read More

Watch Out for Misleading Pharmaceutical Advertising

In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration relaxed the rules... Read More

Ativan Side Effects Lawyer

The drug Lorazepan is marketed under the names Alzapam, Ativan,... Read More

Advanced Surface Ablation

In patients with corneal thickness below a certain minimum, performing... Read More

10 Home Remedies For Arthritis Pain Relief

Your Remedy No. 1 ==============Stretch Gently for Strength and Mobility.When... Read More

New Surgical Treatment Options for Hernias

Hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical... Read More

Spin Control: What to Do When Youre Dizzy

Dizzy Dean, the great baseball pitcher of the 1930s-1940s, once... Read More

Why R.I.C.E.?

What is R.I.C.E. and why do you need it? One... Read More

Lipitor Side Effects

Lipitor is a drug intended to help lower cholesterol. The... Read More

Lunesta Personality Changes

Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a... Read More

Sinusitis: Sinus Infection Deals a Corporate KO

Sinusitis and Sinus Infection Starts with a Little SniffleYes, I... Read More

How Is Mold Like AIDS?

Don't laugh. Both get a lot of coverage in the... Read More

Environmental Medicine

Our modern preservatives and other pollutants like yellow dye no.... Read More

The True Meaning of Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is a type of therapeutic practice that is... Read More

Cholesterol Treatments Options: Statins

Satins are pharmacuetical drugs that work by restricting the enzyme... Read More

Vioxx Recall leads to Vioxx Lawsuits

Vioxx is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammagory drug (NSAID) that reduces inflammation,... Read More

Bextra Recall: Lawyer Says Help Is On The Way

By now, you have probably heard of the prescription drug... Read More

Accutane Side Effects Lawyer: Hair Loss, Depression, Suicide

You probably know the drug isotretinoin by its trade name,... Read More

Lamictal Rash Lawyer

Lamictal, or lamotrigine, is an anti-seizure medication that has been... Read More