Do you wake up with pain under your heels in the morning, or are they sore after a long day of work? Heck, they might just be sore all of the time!
Heel pain is one of the most common problems that your feet are likely to suffer from. Our podiatrists help people like you improve your pain every day. Over the next few weeks, I am going to be listing off my top 5 tips that you can be doing at home to help ease the discomfort. So be sure to check back each week.
Tip 1 – Footwear
We wear footwear all day, everyday. And what we have, or don’t have, on our feet can greatly contribute to developing foot and leg problems. This is no different for your heel pain.
So what do we want in our shoes:
- We want shoes that fit firmly to the foot
Shoes that don’t fit firmly cause us to overuse our arch muscles. This can cause these arch muscles to fatigue and can lead to causing the heel pain as the muscles can no longer support the arch as well as they should.
- A little bit of a heel raise can help
Most shoes will have a little heel raise, including our joggers. But ballet flats or skate shoes have very little heel raise and contribute to your heels being overloaded while walking.
- Shoes in good condition
If your shoes are excessively worn, they can have a big impact on your walking pattern. This can lead to areas of your foot being overloaded, and you guessed it – leading to the heel pain.
- What types of shoes should I be wearing?
Joggers are generally a good start. They are very supportive, hold to the foot well and have a little cushioning to help as wellFor summer, I know you don’t want to be wearing joggers all the time. Choosing a sandal with a sling back (that you tighten every time your wear) or even better, a closed in heel are going to offer you a lot more support than your thongs, leading to less heel pain.
So when you have heel pain, start with your shoes first. Getting the right shoes can really get a good start on getting over this problem. Over the next few weeks I also be writing about some exercises you can do to help ease the pain so be sure to check in next week.