Simple Foot Exercises To Help You Treat Heel Pain A painful discomfort felt in the foot is commonly known as ’heel pain’. Although the pain may b

e severe,

some simple exercises can help you stand on your feet within days.

It is essential to first understand the causes of heel pain, followed by appropriate exercises to c

ure the pain completely.

Heel pain is not a minor foot problem but can worsen if not treated appropriately. It is advisabl

e to practice

simple foot exercises or visit a foot specialist for an effective heel pain treatment.

Causes of heel pain

A common cause of heel pain is scientifically known as plantar fasciitis. This often causes disco

mfort in the heel

of the foot due to tissue damage in the plantar fascia ligament which stretches from the heal bo

ne to the toes.

The tearing of tissues and inflammation which causes heel pain in the foot mostly occurs due to

the following reasons:

Overdoing an activity like walking, standing or running.

Sudden weight gain which puts pressure on the heels.

Using shoes with poor cushioning.

Sudden stretching of the sole.

Tightening of the Achilles tendon above the heel.

Heel pain for varied reasons is also common among -

Women.

Adults above 40 years of age.

People wearing faulty shoes.

People living in hilly areas.

Runners, athletes and sports persons.

Curing heel pain with foot exercises

Many people use different methods for heel pain treatment. One of the simplest and quickest

way to get rid of it

is to do some simple foot exercises.

Foot exercises can extensively help to not only cure the pain, but also prevent the pain from occ

urring again.

When one does foot exercises, there should be careful stretching of the fascia ligament, Achille

s tendon and calf muscles.

The pain can worsen if these three parts are overused.

Here are some simple foot exercises to be practiced carefully for long-term heel pain relief.

1) Rolling the ball below the feet

Place a circular object like a tennis or a golf ball under your foot.

Next, move your foot by rolling the ball, allowing it to slide from the heel to the toes.

This exercise helps to stretch the plantar fascia, making it more flexible and release the painful t

ension in your foot.

Practice this regularly to treat Plantar Fasciitis and strengthen the damaged ligament

2) Calf stretch exercises :

Place both the hands on the wall and the legs back and forth.

Rest your feet heel on the ground and bend both your knees together,

Hold on in the same position for 15 seconds.

Rest and repeat again, OR

You can also practice other calf exercises apart from this, which require less use of the feet to a

void pressure on it.

This exercise is very useful as it helps stretch calf muscles and Achilles tendon thereby releasing

tension in

lower leg and the plantar fascia.

3) Pebbles and marbles exercise

Scatter small marble and pebbles on the floor and place a mug few centimeters away from the

m.

Sit on a chair and place both the feet in front of the scattered objects.

Try to pick up the pebbles and marbles with your toes.

Grip these objects between your toes and move your legs to place this object in the mug.

Practice this thrice a week for ten minutes. As the feet become stronger with practice, repeat th

is often.

This exercise strengthens the plantar fascia, thereby helping in long-

term heel pain treatment for your feet.

4) Towel stretch exercise

Sit on the floor by stretching your feet in front.

Place a towel lengthwise on the floor and loop it around the heel of the either foot.

Lift one end of the towel with either of your hand by gently pulling it towards your body.

Repeat the same with the other foot.

This exercise helps to strengthen the plantar fasciitis and tighten your foot grip.

When to visit a foot specialist

Sometimes the heel pain may be very severe and one may need help of a foot doctor.

Some common heel pain causes diagnosed clinically include:

Injury like a fracture

Arthritis

Nerve irritation

Tendonitis

Bone cyst

The podiatrist will carefully examine your medical condition and recommend suitable medicatio

n. Caution! Heel Pain in children is different.

Apart from plantar fasciitis, children are more likely to suffer from a typical heel pain problem k

nown as Sever’s Disease.

This problem is specific to children and occurs because the growth plate at the back of the heel

is inflamed due to which the tendons and muscles become tight.

When Sever’s disease becomes intense, it can cause minor painful fractures in the feet.

Applying ice on the feet or foot inserts can temporarily provide relief in the child’s feet.

To treat this heel pain in children, permanently, it is recommended to visit a podiatrist and find

an appropriate cure.

Note : Image source : (http://www.freedigitalphotos.net)