When the heel becomes painful, when you sit for long periods or after a good nights' sleep with no history of any injury or trauma plantar fascia is usually the issue. There is a band of tissue on the bottom of your foot that becomes inflamed this is called plantar fasciitis. Also called heel pain, that may come along with a heel spur. The spur has the same symptomology and is not always present during heel pain. A heel spur is a bony growth, while plantar fascia is a tendon thickening ligament that is inflamed at the bottom of the heel. Stretching of the arch during activity can cause significant discomfort.
What are the Causes?
Heel pain is a very common foot problem which millions of people struggle with. Its medical name is 'Plantar fasciitis'. This is due to an inflammation of the plantar tissues, ie. the tissues between the heel and the toes. It manifests as severe pain in the heels, especially in the morning. If this is not attended to in time, it may persist for months and seriously impair foot function.
Heel pain can have many causes. It may affect all ages from childhood to adults. The chief reason for the pain is the excessive wear and tear that the foot goes through. This stress could be in the form of uncomfortable and ill-fitting shoes, high heels, foot deformity or simply undue and prolonged strain of the feet.
Natural Remedies
Cold Compression - Cold compression with an ice pack is one of the best ways to reduce the internal inflammation of the tissues. Use an ice pack daily on the painful area of your heels for visible results. Another method is to roll your feet on frozen or chilled bottles of water. This will result in your heels feeling far more comfortable.
Nothing uncomfortable - Avoid wearing uncomfortable footwear such as tight shoes and high heels. This may aggravate the problem still further by putting great strain on your heels and ankles. Instead, wear orthopedic pads and comfortable footwear that keeps your heels rested and in an even position.
Control body weight - It is very essential to maintain a body weight on the lower end of the scale. Our feet carry the weight of the entire body, with the brunt being borne by the heels. If you are overweight and heavy, your heels have to endure prolonged pressure and over-strain because of the excessive weight. The best way to prevent this and provide relief to your heels is to maintain an ideal body weight..
Strengthen muscles - Exercise is a very important factor in the healing of this kind of physical strain. You need to do all kinds of gentle stretching exercises of the feet and legs. This will help to strengthen the muscles and thus help the heels to support the stress.
This is natural-care information for general guidance only — it is not medical advice. For severe, worsening, or diabetic foot problems, please see a doctor.
