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Walking pain in the heel can be a signal of illness, fatigue, or an alert for lifestyle changes. Heel pain should not be underestimated not only because of the discomfort, but also because of the overall condition of the body. What are the causes of heel pain and how do I deal with it?
Heel pain – causes
About 15% of visits to medical and physiotherapy offices are caused by pain in the foot area. Heel pain can be triggered by many medical conditions. When it occurs after walking, it can be a sign of an inferior or upper heel spur, plantar fasciitis. Other causes of pain include Achilles tendonitis or a calcaneus fracture. Sometimes the cause is also atrophy of the foot’s fat pad.
Another factor that causes heel pain may be poor fit, too tight shoes or frequent wearing of very high and unstable heels. In this case, ladies can use: Orthopedic insoles for FootWave LADY HIGH HEEL heels, Orthopedic insoles for high heels and wedges FootWave LADY VERSA, and men: Orthopedic insoles for footWave VERSA MAN men’s shoes.
Ailments causing pain in the heel
Heel spur – This is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, causing it to lengthen and skew the heel. One of the causes of the disease is wearing too big shoes. Such footwear causes the foot to stay in the wrong position and run away. Heel valgus arises as a result of even minimal abnormalities in the work of the muscles supporting the longitudinal arch of the foot and the heel in a neutral position. Try the Remove Ring Heel Spurs, which reduce heel pain and improve walking comfort.
Risk factors contributing to the formation of the heel spur are also age, standing work, flat feet, gender, overweight, and reduced dorsiflexion in the ankle joint. Heel pain caused by the condition also causes injuries to the calcaneus. Heel spur is a common problem among runners and women from 40 to 60 years of age.
The treatment of the heel spur usually consists of physical procedures, manual therapy and kinesiotherapy. In the case of physical procedures, the most frequently used methods are: ultrasound, low-energy laser therapy, shock wave, ionophenase and phonoferase. It is also used to stretch the plantar fascia and make the patient aware of what activities he cannot perform during the therapy.
Haglund’s spur – the cause of the disease is calcification, the result of chronic inflammation of the Achilles tendons. The reasons are also overload, the effect of running, incorrect structure of the heel bone and wearing shoes with a too narrow heel counter. However, these are not all the reasons, as the formation of the Haglund spur is a complex problem.
- For this ailment, we recommend gel heel pads for heel pain and FootWave SOFTY spurs,
Symptoms of the disease are severe pain in the heel, accompanied by swelling and damage to the skin in the affected area. Above the heel there is also a growth in the form of thickened skin, swelling in the area of the heel tumor and a protruding bone on the heel visible and perceptible by the patient. The pain starts to worsen when the patient changes his footwear from soft to stiff, eg from sports shoes to boots or shoes for hiking in the mountains.
Treatment of the Haglund spur can be done in two ways – conservative treatment or surgical treatment. The former involves wearing soft footwear and insoles to relieve the limb. In addition to them, the patient may benefit from ointments, injections and steroids, and physical treatments. Surgical treatment involves the excision of bone growths.
For the heel spur and heel pain of a different origin, we recommend the OS1st FS6 compression band for the heel spur and ankle joint in black, flesh-colored or white. The band effectively reduces swelling and inflammation and can be used both during the day and at night. The orthopedic treatment of the heel spur is also supported by compression socks for the ankle joint and OS1st FS4 heel spurs available in black or gray.
Gout – its other name is gout. The disease affects the big toes and causes painful and violent inflammation of the joints. It mainly affects the mid-phalangeal joint and may also be in the form of kidney stones and tophus. It is also caused by elevated levels of uric acid, which, when there is no outlet, begins to build up in the joints.
The symptom of gout does not have to be pain in the heel. The patient develops intense pain, attacking the joints of the lower limb – the patient experiences pain in the knee and ankle joints as well as pain in the wrists and fingers. Sometimes the symptoms are accompanied by an increase in body temperature and decreased vision. The joint becomes tender to touch and starts to turn red. Symptoms last from a few to several days and pass, but for this reason they should not be taken lightly, because the pain relapses will be even stronger.
The treatment of gout consists, inter alia, in on administering painkillers and preparations limiting the production of uric acid and increasing its excretion. The decision about the medications needed to treat gout symptoms is always made by a rheumatologist. The patient should also include green vegetables, fruits and cheeses in the diet and give up meat and animal fats.
Peripheral neuropathy is a disease that causes damage to a peripheral nerve outside the central nervous system. Paralysis of peripheral nerves is sometimes the result of damage in the course of primary diseases of the nervous system. Nerve inflammation is caused by injury, pressure, bacterial infections, viral infections, alcohol abuse and chemical poisoning.
The symptom of peripheral neuropathy is burning, shooting pain. The patient has a weakened or increased perception of stimuli, does not feel the temperature, has less strength and weaker muscle tone, which may lead to muscle atrophy. It does not always cause heel pain, but it can weaken tendon reflexes and cause heart problems, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.
Treatment of peripheral neuropathy consists of rehabilitation, massage, and drug treatment. In some cases, surgery may be necessary. An indispensable element of treatment is rehabilitation, which must be carried out regardless of the nature of the injury. Thanks to it, the patient recovers faster and reduces swelling caused by circulatory disorders.
In the case of emerging heel pain, you can also use the OS1st AF7 compression band for the ankle and Achilles tendon in the left or right version. The band reduces swelling, improves microcirculation and stabilizes the foot.
Home remedy for heel pain
Heel pain is often caused by too much body weight. It turns out that overweight people are more likely to suffer from heel spurs. Therefore, in their case, it is recommended to reduce weight in the first place and change the lifestyle to a healthier one. Being overweight puts more pressure on your heels, which causes pain. Before starting physical activity, it is worth considering this decision and choosing a sport that is fun and harmless to your health.
Massage and strengthening exercises are helpful in the treatment of aching heels. For this purpose, a point massage is recommended where there is a pain source. Ice cubes can also be used to massage the heels – it is recommended when the pain is extremely severe. To do this, wrap the ice cube in a cloth, e.g. a cotton cloth and massage the heel with it for about 3 minutes.
To improve the comfort of walking, it is worth buying Socks with a gel cover on the heels, which effectively cushions the foot while walking and helps in combating pain. It is also worth reaching for compression bands that improve microcirculation. There are, for example, compression bands for the calf and ankle – OS1st FS6 + in black, white, pink or yellow. These bands are also recommended in the case of Achilles tendonitis or heel pains.
A home remedy for heel pain is olive oil combined with clove oil. It is a natural remedy that relaxes the foot muscles with anti-inflammatory properties and provides immediate relief. To prepare the liquid, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of clove oil, heat it in a microwave and rub the warm liquid into your heels and wait for it to soak in.
Heel pain can also be treated with apple cider vinegar. The fluid has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 cups of water are enough to prepare it. Pour boiled water into a scalded vessel and mix with vinegar. Soak the diseased foot in the resulting solution for about 20 minutes. To feel relieved, repeat the treatment every day until it brings the desired result.
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