4 Simple Ways to Relieve Heel Pain

When your heels hurt, it’s hard to talk yourself into going for a long walk, wearing your favorite formal shoes, or even standing for an extended time to complete a project. If you didn’t suffer from heel pain, how much more energy could you dedicate to the things that matter most to you?

It’s extremely common to find yourself dealing with chronic or acute pain in one or both of your heels at some point in your adult life. If heel pain has been dogging your footsteps for some time, are you ready to learn more about the treatments and therapies that have helped many podiatry patients before you?

Expert podiatrist and foot & ankle surgeon Dr. Leonard Greenwald knows all about supporting patients with foot and heel pain problems. From his location in San Jose, California, Dr. Greenwald provides a diagnosis and treatment plan to improve your symptoms. Here are four simple options he often recommends.

1. Relieve heel pain and swelling with cold therapy

Simple treatment with an ice pack can help reduce swelling and pain around your heel. Cover the ice with a cloth and apply the ice pack for 20 minutes at a time, with at least a 20-minute break between applications. Don’t apply ice directly to your bare skin.

2. Use targeted stretches for painful heel tendons and muscles

Often, heel pain relates to issues with tendons and muscles in your feet and ankles, including conditions such as Achilles tendonitis. Targeted stretches and physical therapy may help loosen your tight tendons and muscles. 

Increasing the strength of your leg muscles can also help take pressure off your heels. Dr. Greenwald teaches you specialized heel stretches and exercises you can continue to practice at home for ongoing heel pain relief.

3. Support your arches or painful heels with taping

If your heel pain arises from a cause like plantar fasciitis, some parts of your foot may need extra support to recover. Taping can provide additional support around your heels or the arches of your feet, relieving heel pain within a short time. 

Dr. Greenwald shows you how to apply medical tape as a simple treatment to use when heel pain becomes an issue.

4. Try custom orthotics to redistribute foot and ankle pressure

Because your feet are located at the bottom of your body, your entire mass exerts pressure on your heels, feet, and ankles whenever you stand or move. You can address painful problems with the way your body’s weight and motion create pressure on your heels by using custom orthotics.

Your orthotic inserts from Dr. Greenwald are made for your unique foot shape and pain relief needs and work with your footwear to transform the way your feet experience pressure. After a few weeks of using your orthotics, your heel pain may become a thing of the past.

If you experience heel pain that lasts for more than two weeks or is accompanied by swelling or redness around your heels, it’s time to reach out to Dr. Greenwald for diagnosis and treatment support. 

These simple treatment approaches, or minimally-invasive therapies like pain injections, could be all you need to find lasting pain relief. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Greenwald online or over the phone today.