Heel Pain Treatment

Heel pain is a seemingly simple problem, but can be very troublesome, as your entire body weight is on your feet every time you walk or stand. There are various causes of heel pain; it can be due to several conditions such as plantar fasciitis which happens beneath the heel, Achilles tendonitis which occurs at the Achilles tendon, bone contusions, or small fractures in the heel. Depending on the cause of pain in the heel, the treatment also varies. Although this condition can affect anyone, it is more prevalent in athletes, sports persons, or other physically active individuals. Following are some methods of treatment that you can take account of, if the pain is not very severe or due to a bad injury.

Exercises for Heel Pain

There are some simple exercises that athletes or anyone who is suffering from heel pain in the foot can take into consideration. If you have experienced the pain before you can do these exercises to avoid its recurrence. If your pain is so severe that you cannot walk, these exercises may not be of much help. Instead, you should consult a good doctor immediately.

The Heel Stretch
Stand in front of a wall, facing it. Now place your palms flat on the wall as if holding it for support. Put your right foot ahead of the left one so that both of your feet are in a straight line. Keeping your back straight bend your knees so that the part of your leg below the knee feels stretched. Remain in this position for around a minute and repeat with the other foot forward. The exercise relieves the stress in the entire lower part of your leg which includes the calf muscles and the Achilles tendon. Thus, this exercise is a good treatment for Achilles' heel. Other treatments for the same are cold therapy, use of heel pads, and resting.

The Rolling Exercise
This is probably the simplest of all the exercises here. To do this exercise, sit on a chair and place a tennis ball, rolling pin, marbles or any kind of rolling device under your feet. Now move your feet back and forth so that they make the rolling device roll under your feet. In spite of the simplicity of this exercise, its benefits are really good. It works well on your plantar fascia and is a good treatment for pain in the posterior heel.

The Calf Stretch
Making your calf muscles stronger will prevent heel pain. Try this simple exercise to stretch your calf and other muscles in the lower part of your leg. Stand on the edge of the stairs on your toes while keeping your feet flat. It is difficult to balance your body in this position so take the support of a wall with one hand. Now slowly raise your body up so that you are standing on your toes and your feet are vertical. Hold in that position for a few seconds and come back to the initial position.

The Belt Stretch
For this exercise sit on the floor with your legs straight ahead. Flex your feet to warm them up. Now take a belt and hold its two ends in your hands. This will form a loop which you have to put around one of your feet, on the underside, just where your toes end. Now pull the belt slightly so that your heel juts out a little and hold for about a minute. Do the same for the other foot.

Treatments in Homeopathy

If the pain persists even after several sessions of the above exercises for heel pain, you may have to go to a doctor for proper medical treatment. If homeopathy works for you, you can take the treatment from a certified homeopathic doctor. The doctor will choose from the several remedies available in homeopathy such as ruta, medor, rhus, etc., depending to the cause of pain. To make a proper decision on the remedy, the doctor will ask you to take some tests like blood pressure, blood sugar level, etc. Just make sure that you go to a certified and trusted practitioner of homeopathy only.

As the causes of aching in the heel can be varied, do not ignore it if the pain gets severe. Also, if the pain is unbearable, go to the doctor without fail, as opting for home remedies in such cases can be dangerous.