When your heels hurt, your feet hurt and when your feet hurt, your whole body seems to ache. You may not realize just how important healthy feet are until you have an issue. But if you have to stand for long periods of time and your heels are giving you problems, you will want to deal with them and fast. If you don’t, you could cause a worse injury and end up off one foot for a number of weeks. To prevent worse issues, follow these tips, and deal with your heel pain fast.
Tip #1: Wear Good Shoes
Whether you are walking, standing, running, or doing anything else that involves being up on your feet for any length of time, you need good shoes to support your heels and the rest of your foot. Tennis shoes may not be fashionable for every occasion, but they can keep your feet comfortable and reduce the tension in your heels as well as the fatigue you feel in your leg and other foot muscles.
Tip #2: Rest
Whenever you feel your heel pain flaring up, rest as soon as possible. You know what activities make your heels hurt so plan for frequent breaks during those activities so you can give your feet a break and give your heels a chance to repair themselves.
Tip #3: Stretch
If you enjoy walking or have to be up on your feet a lot for work, make sure you stretch your calf muscles as well as the arches in your feet. Keeping those muscles limber will help you prevent a limp the next time you have to put weight on your heels.
Tip #4: Ice Them
After you have spent a long time on your feet, ice can really help take the pressure off your heels. Ice your feet to decrease the swelling in the area. It’ll feel great and take some of the pain out of the area.
Tip #5: Be Sensible
If you have to go to a fancy party and you are going to have to break out your high heels in order to fit in, fine. But make sure you don’t stand up all night and make your heels cry out for a break. Wear comfortable shoes on the way to and from the party and then switch to your heels just for the party itself. Try to stay seated as much as possible while you chat and enjoy your snacks.
Even if you adhere to all of these tips, some heel pain simply does not go away. If that is the case for you, you will want to see your doctor and seek treatment as quickly as possible, so you don’t do any more damage to the area. If your doctor recommends that you become non-weight bearing on one foot, your mobility will become an issue. But crutches aren’t the only answer. There are other options that can help you get around much more easily. The Hands-Free Crutch allows you to retain the use of your hands. The Knee scooter lets you scoot yourself around from place to place. All of the options give your heel a chance to, well, heal!
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