Heel pain can have a wide variety of causes and while it’s important to consult with a professional doctor if you’ve been experiencing foot pain for a considerable period of time or are concerned it might be a something serious, there are still some at-home remedies you can utilize to help reduce your overall pain level. If these remedies fail with heel pain and you need to seek professional advice please visit Walkrite Foot Clinic in Toronto, North York.

1) Wear the right shoes.

Wearing shoes that are comfortable and fit correctly is absolutely critical for maintaining healthy feet and preventing pain. If you’re currently experiencing pain in the heel of your foot, it’s very possible that you’re wearing shoes that aren’t a good fit for your feet; it’s likely that the shoes you’re currently wearing are too tight and putting too much pressure on your feet. Shoes with high heels can also lead to heel pain because of the way the heels force your feet to bear your body weight in ways they’re not accustomed to (normally, and in the right footwear, feet bear your weight evenly all around, but when in heels that even weight distribution is changed so that different areas of your feet are under more strain than they normally would be). It’s also important to wear shoes that give you strong ankle support without cutting off the flow of blood to your foot; inadequate circulation can also lead to pain in your heels and potentially even more serious health concerns if it’s a chronic problem.

2) Ice the affected area.

One of the simplest methods for easing heel pain the short-term is to ice the injured area. This can help not only with easing the pain, but also with reducing any swelling that might be present. That being said, you don’t need to ice your feet all day long, or even for extended periods of time; a couple daily sessions of ten or fifteen minutes should be enough to help with your heel pain.

3) Use shoe inserts.

There are a wide variety of shoe inserts available for purchase (or even through your health care provider in some circumstances) that can be used to help ease foot pain. Some of these inserts can also increase the overall comfort level for your feet as well, making them a good investment if you suffer from chronic foot pain. These types of inserts are also good if you have a job that involves being on your feet a lot; the added support they provide can help to prevent serious foot pain to begin with.

4) Exercise.

While intense exercise is pretty much out of the question when you have serious heel pain, some light stretching exercises specifically geared towards foot health can help ease tension and stiffness in the affected tendons and joints of your foot and relieve some of the pain in your heels.

5) Rest.

Often, the best course of action for dealing with foot pain is to simply put your feet up (literally) and get some rest while you wait for your body to heal on its own. And if necessary, you can purchase some over the counter painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen to help manage your pain. If your heel pain doesn’t go away after a few days, however, or if it increases in severity, contact Walkrite Foot Clinic in Toronto, North York for our recommendation on how to proceed; we may want to examine your feet personally to determine if your heel pain is something simple like foot strain or the symptom of a more serious chronic condition. For more information or to book an appointment please visit our contact page to fill out the request form.