Are you tired of hobbling around with heel pain? Do you want to get back to your favorite activities without worrying about your feet?
Heel pain can really slow you down, but the good new is there’s hope. At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we see lots of people who suffer from this. Some basic exercises can provide relief and help you stop living with heel pain.
First, it’s important to know what’s causing your heel pain. Often called plantar fasciitis, heel pain is often caused by an inflammation or degeneration of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs from your heel to your toes.
The inflammation or degeneration of the plantar fascia can cause pain and stiffness in your heel, making it difficult to walk or stand for long periods of time. This can be caused by a variety of factors, but most commonly it is due to tight and weak calf muscles.
Fortunately, with relative rest and a couple key exercises, you can stop living with heel pain. Here are 3 easy exercises you can do to restore your foot to health and start living without pain again.
Plantar Fascia Stretch
This stretches the plantar fascia and the tendon that attaches it to the heel on the bottom of your foot. You should feel it stretch along the bottom of your foot and into your heel. Be sure to keep pull up on your toes to get the most stretch.
Hold this stretch for 30 seconds relax for 10 seconds, then repeat for another 30 seconds. Do this 3 times a day.
Eccentric Heel Raise
This exercise increases the strength of your calf, Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia. Even if your calf is strong, if the tendons are irritated or degenerating, doing calf strengthening exercises will actually stimulate the healing process.
Start with 2 sets of 10 reps, spending 3 seconds on the lowering part of the exercise. Work up to 3 sets and then increase the reps up to 15. If that gets easy, you can try them on the edge of a step or add some weight.
Do these 3 days a week. Some mild pain is ok with this exercise and a lot of research suggests it actually helps the healing process. It should not be sharp and it should not be so bad that it makes you grimace.
Soleus Stretch on Step
This stretches the lower part of your calf called the soleus muscle. When this muscle is tight it can cause pain to refer to the heel as well as increase the strain on the Achilles tendon.
Start with your toes on the edge of a step. Let your knee bend as you lean forward. You should feel a stretch in the lower part of your calf.
Hold for 30 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds and repeat. Do this 2 times a day.
None of the exercises above should make you hurt more.
If you’ve tried these and you’re still hurting, we can help you!
At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, our physical therapists are experts at treating heel pain and will develop a plan to help you stop it.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to request and appointment.
A member of our team will schedule you an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
What happens if you don’t have a plan to stop living with heel pain?
- You hate to walk with your family and friends because your heel hurts
- You struggle to walk down stairs
- You get out of shape and are more likely to get other diseases and injuries
But WITH a plan to stop living with heel pain you can live the life you want again.
The exercises above are a great way to get started. They don’t require a lot of time and are pretty easy to do correctly.
But if you want an expert to listen to your unique problems and guide you to success, a Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine physical therapist will create a plan specifically for you.
You’ll feel confident that you have the knowledge and ability to stop living with heel pain and do all the things you want.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to schedule your appointment and start your path to healing.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team
