Most of the time you can ease your heel pain through at-home, conservative care.

Heel pain can be quite a nuisance; however, you may find relief in knowing that with some rest and simple home care strategies you’ll be feeling better in weeks. Most heel pain is caused by plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis, two common overuse injuries that require ample rest to allow the foot time to heal properly. If you are dealing with heel pain in West Orange, NJ, here’s how to treat it,

Manage Pain

There are several strategies that you can employ to help manage your pain. These may include,

• Taking a simple anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, which can temporarily alleviate pain and swelling. If your heel pain is severe, our West Orange, FL, podiatrist may prescribe a stronger pain reliever.
• Rest as much as possible and avoid running and other high-impact exercises and activities that will only make inflamed tissue worse. You should wait until your symptoms have fully gone away before going back to your normal workout routine.

Stretch it Out

There are a variety of stretching and strengthening exercises designed specifically for those dealing with plantar fasciitis related heel pain. You may choose to roll a ball or frozen water bottle under the arches of your foot to alleviate pressure and pain or towel stretching. Performing these exercises in the AM may help to reduce the severity of your symptoms first thing in the morning.

Protect Your Feet

It’s also important that you aren’t going barefoot while dealing with heel pain. Provide your feet with ample support, cushioning and protection right now. This includes wearing supportive shoes that fit properly and aren’t worn out, as well as placing shoe inserts or custom orthotics into your shoes.

We know how frustrating heel pain can be. If your heel pain isn’t going away or getting better with these simple home strategies then it’s time to turn to our West Orange, FL, podiatric team for answers. Call Foot Health Center at (973) 731-1266.