The human foot is an anatomically amazing body part. Did you know that 60 tons of pressure is placed on each foot per walking mile? As amazing as our foot is, however, it can be overstressed, and when overstressed, we can experience heel pain. Here are some ways to reduce that pain:
How to Reduce Heel Pain
- Let your foot rest from activity
- Wear the right shoes and potentially shoe inserts
- Don’t play sports on surfaces that aren’t intentionally softened and meant for that purpose (i.e. concrete)
- Ice to reduce inflammation
If pain persists, do not ignore it or it could get worse and lead to more problems. Seek a podiatrist. Podiatrists are doctors of podiatric medicine who have completed an undergraduate education, 4 years of graduate studies in podiatric medicine, and rotations to specialize in the foot area, including the ankle and heel.
At the Doctor’s
- You’ll have to describe exactly where (and when) you have the pain
- The doctor will examine the foot and heel looking for tenderness and swelling
- You may be asked to walk or stand in particular ways so the doctor can help narrow down the cause
After examining your foot, your podiatrist will diagnose and treat your condition.
Potential Conditions
- Stone Bruise: bruising the fat pad on the underside of your heel.
- Plantar Fasciitis: Inflamed tissue connecting the heel to the toes
- Heel Spur: Calcium deposit on the heel that has grown near the fascia tissue
- Retrocalcaneal Bursitis: inflamed area where the Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone
Ankle Pain
The most common injury of the ankle is a sprained ankle. Nobody is exempt from this painful injury, from professional athletes to children. An ankle sprain is when the ligament that holds the ankle bones together and in position is stretched beyond their normal limits. If there is tearing of the ligament, this is considered a severe sprain.
Prevention
- Try to always step straight down
- Try to always step onto a flat surface
- Do warm-ups before exercising
- Choose the right shoes for the right activities
How to Reduce Pain
- Rest the painful area – don’t walk on it
- Ice the painful area
- Elevate the area above the heart
- Dress the area with ace bandages, etc.
Like heel pain, do not ignore the signs of ankle stress. If you feel pain in your ankle, stop what you are doing, and consider using some of the pain relieving suggestions above. If the pain persists, seek a podiatrist.
At the Doctor’s
- Explain the pain to the doctor
- The doctor will look for pain and swelling, and may be able to diagnose based upon this
- The doctor may need to further move or turn the ankle area
- If not, x-rays or an MRI may be needed
After full examination and any x-rays or MRI’s that are necessary, the doctor will diagnose your condition.
Potential Conditions
- Grade 1 Sprain – minor tenderness and swelling
- Grade 2 Sprain – modest tenderness and swelling, loss of range of motion, some tearing of the ligament
- Grade 3 Sprain – major tenderness and swelling, complete tearing or rupture of ligament
If you are in the Delray Beach area, you will be pleasantly surprised at how well Dr. Goldbaum will understand your heel and ankle specific pain. Dr. Goldbaum is looking forward to hearing from you, because he wants to help you feel better!
Getting Professional Treatment
It is always our express intent to recommend that you take no chances with foot pain, ankle or knee pain, or injuries. Professional treatment to relieve the pain is available from doctors such as Delray Beach’s Dr. Ian Goldbaum of Delray Beach Podiatry, who has provided us with this blog. If the pain continues, a podiatrist with Dr. Goldbaum’s experience should be consulted. You must get proper treatment to prevent permanent damage.
Our Staff writers are freelance writers with higher education related to, or experience researching and writing for, medical blogs; with education or experience equal to under graduate and graduate degrees in the fields of medicine. photo credit: mhs72reunion via photo pin cc
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