What Is Your Worst Heel Pain Enemy? Yourself!

Although the heel is a small part of your body, it can lead to some big discomfort and greatly affect your day-to-day life. 

Heel pain can afflict people for a variety of reasons, but there are ways to stop it before it becomes a problem and to treat the issue if it already exists. Certain mindsets and ways we conduct our lives can be to blame for a lot of our heel and foot pain. Here are some ways of thinking that we need to change to live our best, pain-free lives.

“I Don’t Need New Shoes”

In today’s economy, being frugal is at the top of everyone’s minds. We think our shoes can last a little bit longer and sometimes don’t even notice the wear and tear. Even if you bought the best shoes with great foot support and comfort, they can only last so long. 

You should be replacing your shoes before they start falling apart. Start looking for flat and worn spots on the outer sole. Take notice of scuffs on the heels or see if they tilt when lain on a flat surface. 

When you do decide to buy new shoes, make sure they have good arch support, keep your midfoot stable, and provide cushioning where it’s needed.

You can even go a step further to protect your feet by investing in a pair of custom orthotics. These devices help treat many different foot and heel pain. One pair can last through many different pairs of shoes, and your insurance might even cover the cost!

“I Can Go a Bit Harder/Work a Bit Longer”

It’s important to listen to your body. Poor form, standing too long, or any unnatural, repetitive movements can be to blame for heel or foot pain. 

Make sure to take breaks, hydrate, stretch, and massage the sore areas. 

If you ignore the warning signs of your body, these are some conditions you might be faced with:

• Plantar fasciitis – Pain at the bottom of your foot due to overstretched or torn tissue.
• Achilles tendinitis – Inflammation of the Achilles tendon, most often caused by overuse.
• Stress fractures – A small crack along the surface of the bone due to extended force.

These are only a few of the issues you could face without proper care of your feet and ankles. If you are someone who suffers from gait abnormalities or structural problems, the likelihood of these issues is even greater.

What can you do about this? Give your body the relief it needs whenever you possibly can. This might mean changing up your workout routine and conditioning. If you’re starting out with running and would like a few tips, download our Beginner’s Guide to Running.

For workers, this may mean taking a few minutes each hour to move and stretch, or placing a padded mat down where you stand most often for additional support and cushioning. These changes can have a significant impact on your comfort in the long run.

“I’m Too Busy to Address the Discomfort”

With the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, it’s hard to find time to take care of our discomfort. This mentality can cause your pain to worsen and create bigger problems down the road. If you don’t think you have time now, imagine how much time you won’t have when the pain is even worse.

A simple and time-effective solution to address your discomfort is through massages and stretches. Not only can these ease the pain but can also improve your condition.

However, if you are in significant pain, you need to seek medical attention to figure out the cause and treat the source of the pain. Our office and friendly staff are here to assist and get down to the source of the pain. Then we can set you on the best treatment path.

“There’s Nothing I Can Do to Stop This.”

Sometimes we feel helpless when it comes to our pain but realizing you might be your worst heel pain enemy can make a difference. Wearing proper shoes, not over-exerting yourself, stretching, and resting when you need to are just a few things you can do to alleviate and prevent discomfort.  If these things don’t work, give us a call. 

Contact Us to Start Treating Your Heel Pain!

At McVay Foot & Ankle, we are experts in diagnosing and treating heel and foot pain. Call our Colorado Springs office at (719) 266-5000 to schedule an appointment. If you would prefer to contact us electronically, please feel free to fill out our online form and a member of our staff will respond to you.

Don’t put off getting the help and treatment your body needs to get it back to doing what you love, pain-free!