Three Causes Of Heel Pain That You Can Do Something About

Heel problems affect much more of your life than just your comfort. If your heel hurts, your ability to walk and run is hampered, and constant or near-constant pain can make you feel horrible even when off your feet. Sometimes the cause of the heel pain is so entrenched or chronic that healing your feet could take a very long time. But there are some causes that you can remedy in a reasonable amount of time. Two of them are rather quick; the third may take longer but deserves attention.

Bad Shoes

If you're wearing old shoes with worn-out insoles or have bought new shoes that have no support, your feet will bear the brunt of the bad fit. Your heels may feel raw from friction from shoes that are slightly too big, and stepping on a worn or bad insole can create stress that travels up from the heel into your leg. Changing shoes or adding a padded insole can reduce the pain in your heel relatively quickly. It might not be that same day, but you should notice a difference as the week goes on. You may want to baby the foot with the painful heel to help it recover.

Too Much Standing or Incorrect Steps When Walking

Even great shoes with great insoles can't solve everything. If you're constantly standing or stepping with your weight off-center on each foot, you could feel pain in your toes and heel. Be sure to take breaks to walk and sit, if you have to stand a lot, and if you think you're not walking and stepping in a way that is best for your foot, you might want to ask a podiatrist to help evaluate your step and pace. It can take a little longer for a painful heel to heal if you need to change how you walk; old habits die very hard, so your heels may still occasionally end up hurting. But eventually, the pain should go away.

Be Careful About Blaming Weight

It is true that excessive weight can take a toll on your legs and feet. All that pressure bearing down on your heels does have an effect. However, be careful not to assign immediate blame to your weight for the heel pain, and be prepared for your regular doctor to dismiss the heel pain as a weight problem anyway. Get a second opinion if you need to, but be sure your doctor tests for problems with your heel (like plantar fasciitis) that aren't weight-dependent. You do not want to assume you just need to work on your weight and that the pain will magically disappear. If the pain is due mainly to another problem, ignoring that problem could allow it to get worse. Only when you've thoroughly checked out your heel and foot should you start to blame your weight. Look into a heel pain doctor near you for more information.