Healing the heel pain with Physiotherapy Treatment

by Physios NearMe Physiotherapy

Feet and legs are important organs of the body as they not only carry the weight but also are the only way of movement in human beings. With constant movement and exertion, one may feel pain in the heels because of various factors but it is common and curable. When athletes suffer from heel pain it is either due to injury or plantar fasciitis that should be cured to ensure it does not lead to fracture. Often people resort to painkiller or hot water therapy or wearing doctor recommended sole to support the heel and normal walking but this is not the permanent solution. There are many physiotherapy exercises including stretching that is not only suggested in case of broken bones in sports but also for heel pain. But before getting into the causes lets discuss the causes of heel pain:

Morbid Obesity: Excessive body weight will affect the joint and heels as they will feel the pressure while carrying the body weight. It will not only lead to heel pain but can also lead to tearing of ligaments and abnormal gait.

Gout: Increased levels of uric acid leads to accumulation of uric crystals on the joints and heels leading to chronic heel pain.

Achilles Tendonitis: When the Achilles tendon is inflamed and leads to degeneration of the tendon can lead to long term heel pain. It is suggested to find a physiotherapist and consult him if the pain persists for more than a week.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is an auto-immune disease condition that leads to inflammation of the joints, feet and hands. The rheumatoid disease attacks the joints first and leads to pain, swelling and difficulty in walking.

Plantar Fasciitis: Plantar fascia is a ligament that when affected or inflamed leads to pain under the heel. It normally occurs when the tissues of the ligament are torn due to overtraining or wearing wrong shoes.

Physiotherapy for heel pain

Physiotherapy is the science of healing pains and inflammation caused due to injury or disease. Apart from broken bones by sports, physiotherapy treatment for heel pain is the popular and trusted option as with basic exercises like stretching; ice pads and passive workout one can overcome heel pain. But said that, it is not a miracle science and takes few sessions to heal the ruptured ligament or tissue permanently. One should visit a physiotherapist if heal pain subsides for more than two weeks and the reason is unknown i.e. there has been no injury or accident. Popular exercises that will help to overcome heel pain are:

Ice pad application: Applying ice pad for 15 minutes will help to reduce the inflammation and pain. It controls the blood circulation and freezes the area giving relaxation to otherwise sore heels.

Stretching of heel: It can be done without standing or pressurizing the heels. A person should sit with legs straight and slowly stretch the toes further and backward. It should be treated 10 times to give relief to heel and plantar. If done in the morning before stepping out of bed, it will help to move around without any pain.

Foot Massage: After a long hectic day drench your feet in warm water to relax them and then give yourself a foot massage. It will relax the tired nerves, tissues and ligaments of the heel and induce sound sleep.

To conclude, heel pain undoubtedly is common but can become chronic and disrupt day to day body functions if not taken care. One should find a physiotherapist and consult him for the sessions and if the prime reason of pain is obesity then should seek guidance on losing weight as well with physiotherapy.