Heel pain is a very common problem,mostly in females. Most of the heel pain will be early morning pain that iswhen you go to sleep in the night and get up in the morning you get a lot ofpain and after taking few steps like about 8 to 10 steps you start feelingbetter the same thing will happen if you sit for about half an hour or one hourand then again you get up you might get a little bit of pain again you take fewsteps like 8 to 10 steps and your pain will go.
This complaint is broadly groupedinto a condition called plantar fasciitis also called heel pain. Most of thetime there is no cause of this it just happens that over time there is a heelpad fat that is between the bone and the skin in the there is a fat pad. Thisheel fat pad will get hardened or it gets worn off as it gets worn off the bonewill start taking more load there is the commonest cause for this, the otherone is there is a tissue called fascias a plantar fascia which will connect theheel bone to the toes.
These plantar fasciae also gettighten causing you pain.
This can happen due to multiplereasons, the commonest being rheumatoid arthritis the other one is uric acidproblems leading to gout or gout type of arthritis. But most of the time thecause is unknown because it can be caused due to old injury also.
Traditional treatment includes NSAIDsmedications, or in some severe cases corticosteroid injection or evensurgery.
But the modern treatment of heel painis so much advanced and it includes physiotherapy treatment that can preventyou from surgery.
PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT OF HEEL PAININCLUDES:
Cryo-therapy- Cryotherapy or Icingreduces inflammation on the bottom of your foot and may help control your heel pain.
Stretching- calf stretching.Especially after lying down or sitting for a while.
Towel stretch: loop a towel aroundthe ball of your foot > pull back gently > hold the stretch 30-40seconds.
Wall stretch: stand facing a wall atarm’s length away > place your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your kneesstraight > keep your back straight and your heel in place on the floor >put your hands on the wall and bend your elbow so your chest leans toward thewall > you should feel a mild pull in both calf muscles > move one footcloser the wall and bend that knee to stretch the other calf muscle (the moreyou bend the knee, the deeper the stretch) > hold for 30-40 seconds thenswitch to stretch the other calf. (Do at least 5 repetitions on each foot 2-3times every day).
Strengthening exercises for foot-such as Towel pickup, resisted dorsiflexion / plantarflexion/ inversion &eversion exercises.
Manual therapy treatment- such asplantar fascia release.
Kinesio taping- our sportsphysiotherapists are certified in sports Taping techniques and the applicationof Kinesio tape for heel pain will reduce your pain and promote pain-freemovement.
Static and dynamic balancingexercises.
Cross-training- try swimming,stationary bike, elliptical training.Use of Orthotics- arch support helpsyou deal with heel pain and can help the foot heal. They can keep the arch ofyour foot from flattening and prevent tears in the fascia. At our physiotherapyclinic, there is also a customized insole available that is made with 3Dimaging.
Other trending treatments used in ourphysiotherapy clinic for Heel pain are High-Intensity class 4Laser treatment, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Treatment (ECSW), UltrasoundTreatment, or Combo treatment. Etc.
Home advice-
Ice massage: fill a round plasticwater bottle with water and freeze > place under your foot and roll thebottle back and forth > do this for 10-15 minutes, repeats 2-3 times a day.
If the pain is unbearable then givethe foot a rest: walk and stand less.
If you have to stand at work, takeregular breaks.
Use night splints: it keeps your footat 90 degrees while sleeping, for 5-6 weeks.
Lose weight.
Choose footwear carefully: the backof the heel should be firm, not flexible.
The sole of the shoe should bend atthe ball of the foot, not in the middle of the arch.
The heel should be slightly elevated,which means look for the shoes that give you some lift in the heel.
Curved sole with good arch support.
Avoid shoes that have a thin sole,flat soles, high heels, and flip-flops.
For more queries and appointments call us at01149032333 / 8826627027 / 8826215518. Or Visit us at Website www.elitephysiotherapy.in, E-mail us at elitesportsphysio07@gmail.com.Video consultation is also available.