Heel pain is a very common problem among a lot of people nowadays. Heel spurs are bony growths that occur on the bottom of the heel and may grow towards the arch of the foot.
While many people might not notice these spurs, many others experience quite a bit of pain.
Heel pain is the most common kind of foot condition among Australians, with 48% of people suffering at least once in their lives.
If you are also suffering from any heel ailment, here are five ways to get relief.
1. Cold compress
Cold compress therapy really relieves painful heels. You can simply wrap up some cloth in ice and apply it on the swollen portion, or you can apply a cold compression pack to hold the ice in place.
You can find these packs at any common drugstores or pharmacies in the form of gel packs or cold foot wraps. The packs are supposed to be kept in the freezer for some time and then taken out to be applied.
You should ideally wrap the pack around your foot or ankle to get the best results. Leave the wrap on for 10 minutes and then unwrap it carefully. Repeat this every hour or so.
2. Special shoes
Comfortable shoes recommended by doctors can also reduce heel spurs. Here are some of the things you should look out for when buying a special shoe for your heel pain:
Firm heel support: The back of the shoe must be firm to support the heel and stop it from rolling inward or outwards.
Moderately flexible: The shoe shouldn’t be overly flexible because then it can collapse and cause you to fall. Instead, the bend should be gradual so that there is a bit of resistance.
Elevated heel: A slightly elevated heel of 1 inch or so can take some of the pressure off your heel.
3. Medications
Sometimes the best way to relieve heel pain is to take some over-the-counter medications. Drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), or naproxen sodium (Aleve) are popular anti-inflammatory medicines.
They reduce tissue inflammation and lessen the pain. They can also prevent further damage to your heel by lessening the inflammation.
But if you have kidney problems or a history of stomach ulcers, you shouldn’t be taking these medicines.
Acetaminophen is also considered a pain reliever but it doesn’t have the same kind of anti-inflammatory properties. Always consult a healthcare professional before taking any kind of medicine.
4. Stretches
Exercising and stretching the calf or foot muscles can also be a good idea. Some helpful exercises include foot flexes and calf stretches.
For the best kind of physiotherapy exercises, visit https://www.elevatephysiobalwyn.com.au/.
Elevate Physio helps you with clinical pilates, physiotherapy, remedial massage, and podiatry.
Their expert care in relieving pain and swelling is famous all over Balwyn and their friendly and professional staff are always there to help you out.
Stretching in the morning or afternoon can go a long way in reducing your heel spurs or pain. You may also wear specialized splints to help keep your feet flexed.
This way, it will be easier for you to stretch your calf muscles. If you have early morning heel pain, these exercises will be very beneficial for you.
5. Corticosteroid injections
Corticosteroid injections don’t really cure your heel spurs but lessen the pain quite a bit.
Before injecting you, the doctor will apply a numbing medicine to reduce any pain or discomfort at the site of injection.
Even though the site varies from one doctor to another, most doctors prefer injecting the medicine on the inner or the middle part of the heel instead of the bottom.
There is, however, a limit to the number of corticosteroid injections a patient can receive. This is because too many steroid injections can ultimately lead to rupturing of the tendons.
So if your condition is severe, you might have to go for surgery instead of just injections.
Over to you…
These are some of the common ways in which you can get rid of your heel pain.
There are other ways too, such as cryoultrasound or surgery.
Depending on the amount of pain you’re experiencing and the condition of your heel, your doctor can recommend any method to lessen the discomfort.