Flat Shoes & Summer Heel Pain: Plantar Fasciitis Solutions
One of the joys of summer is letting the sun warm your toes, and splashing about in lakes and streams in easy dry footwear. The downside is that our favourite summer footwear, whether flip-flops (thongs), aqua socks, flat water shoes, or even no shoes at all, don’t support our feet well if we take a long hike, stand around on hard decking all day, or do sudden and unusual levels of exercise.
(Or, as a recent client found out the hard way, if you attend a summer wedding and wear flat sandals you haven’t worn for ages, stand on a stone patio for hours, and then try and sprint around with the grandchildren!)
The result is sore heels and/or sharp or stabbing pain on the bottom of your heel or foot arch. Even if you sit and rest your elevated foot, the pain returns when you stand up again, and your foot may not able to bear your weight until you gently stretch the foot.
At this time of year, runners may be switching terrain too, from softer natural surfaces and tracks to roads and sidewalks in preparation for the winter. This change of activity and intensity can cause pain in your heels and arches and limit your activities early on in the season.
Heel pain and plantar fasciitis
Heel pain is usually the result of plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament. This important ligament connects the heel bone to the base of the toes, and when it is inflamed it can be remarkably debilitating.
Every day, your heel takes your bodyweight whether you are standing or walking. Repetitive heel strikes (the impact when your heel hits the ground) result in bruising to the fascia, which then becomes painful and inflamed. Since your heel is in constant use, your body cannot repair these small injuries fast enough, which can makes plantar fasciitis slow to heal without both home treatments and professional help.
At Hunt Footcare, we have helped hundreds of patients recover from plantar fasciitis and avoid its return too. Key to your initial recovery is to rest, stop exercise, wear shoes with good arch support, and elevate your foot whenever possible. Then, book an appointment with one of our specialists at the nearest Hunt Footcare clinic to you.
Home treatments for plantar fasciitis
You can treat your heel pain at home by stopping exercise, resting, and elevating your foot whenever possible. To reduce the inflammation, you can
- Apply ice packs wrapped in a towel
- Wear a thin sock and roll your foot over a frozen plastic bottle of water
- Take anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen
You can buy cushioned heel pads or insoles over the counter, but these are very much “one size fits all” and not as effective long-term as custom orthotics.
If you still have sore heels and arches after a week of home treatment, then contact us for an appointment. Our team have great success in helping patients recover better and faster with a personalised treatment plan.,This may include expert physical therapy, foot taping, specific exercises to do at home, and supports and splints such as a Straussberg sock.
We can also discuss other treatments for longer-term heel pain and other related conditions including flat feet, including ultrasound, laser therapy and shockwave therapy (https://www.huntfootcare.com/shockwave-therapy-for-heel-pain/ ).
Custom orthotics and plantar fasciitis
Custom orthotics can prevent heel pain and inflamed arches by supporting your foot and keeping it in the optimal position for your gait.
At Hunt Footcare, we specialise in custom orthotics, special supports that are produced from accurate moulds of your feet. By slipping your custom moulded orthotics into your footwear, you effectively make any shoe or boot a perfect fit for the bottom of your feet. The orthotic will gently correct your gait and support your foot, for more efficient walking posture, more comfortable standing posture, and far less risk of injury during activities.
For more details, see https://www.huntfootcare.com/services/custom-made-orthotics/
Heel pain treatments from Hunt Footcare
If you are suffering with stubborn heel pain, or think you’d benefit from custom orthotics, just contact us for an appointment.
About the author
J.Craig Hunt D.Ch. is founder of Hunt Footcare, one of Southwestern Ontario’s leading providers of professional footcare, podiatric medicine and foot surgery consultation services. He is Past President of both the College of Chiropodists of Ontario and the Ontario Society of Chiropodists. Read more about Craig here.
