Got heel pain? Make no mistake: heel pain may seem minor, but given how much you rely on your feet for many of your movements, it can get in the way of your day-to-day activities.
Read on to learn about the various treatment methods you can try to tamp down your heel pain or even banish it altogether.
Self-Care Measures
Treatment options for heel pain will depend on its severity and underlying cause. If yours is just mild, self-care measures might be all that is necessary to reverse it. You may want to try the following basic remedies:
- Compression– Applying light compression onto the painful area, such as by using compression socks, may help reduce pain and swelling.
- Leg elevation– Try to raise your feet up above the chest level when you sit or sleep to reduce the swelling and improve the blood flow.
- Pain medications- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help alleviate your discomfort.
- Wear shoes that fit properly. Wear shoes that have superior cushioning and arch support.
- Exercise- Exercises to stretch your calf muscles and your plantar fascia, which is the band of tissue that attaches your heel bone to the base of your toes, can help alleviate pain and improve flexibility in your affected foot.
- Maintain a healthy weight– If you have excess weight issues, working to lose it can greatly reduce the pressure off your plantar fascia.
Medical Treatment Options for Heel Pain
If home treatments have failed, your best course of action is to see a podiatrist, who may recommend any of the following interventions after thoroughly assessing your condition and determining the underlying cause of your heel pain.
- Corticosteroid injections- If oral medications are unable to provide adequate relief, your podiatrist may recommend steroid injections.
However, it is important to take note that while corticosteroids have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, they are used sparingly because they have potentially serious side effects.
- Physical Therapy– Although basic home stretches are usually helpful, you may require a more focused program of specific stretches and exercises designed to address the exact cause of your heel pain.
- Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT)– This is an innovative treatment option that doesn’t just relieve the pain, but also triggers and accelerates the body’s natural healing processes. It involves your podiatrist delivering high-intensity shockwaves onto the area to address your pain.
ESWT is a great choice for moderate cases of heel pain: it is a safe, noninvasive, and generally well-tolerated procedure.
- Surgery– Surgery will likely be recommended for severe heel pain or one that doesn’t respond to a lengthy course of conservative interventions.
Heel Pain Treatment in San Antonio, Boerne, Hondo, Floresville, Kenedy, Uvalde, Live Oak, TX
Don’t let heel pain keep you grounded. Visit us here at The Podiatry Group of South Texas. Our board-certified podiatrists take pride in their expertise, extensive experience, and commitment to ensuring the best possible patient outcomes for the gamut of foot and ankle problems—including those that cause heel pain.
Be one of our satisfied patients today! Call us at our location near you, or simply send an appointment request using this convenient form. We look forward to serving you!
