More on Heel Pain..
The Trials and Tribulations of Heel Pain: The Pros and Cons of Your Treatment OptionsIt's easy to find the cause of heel pain. In many cases, our behavior makes it easy to diagnose, whether it stems from the exercise routines we do, or perhaps the repetitive lifting we do on the job. Regardless of what type of activity leads to heel pain, when it comes down to it, the cause is overuse. With most occurrences of heel pain, symptoms can be helped by an array of treatments, ranging from simple exercises to surgical procedures. The variety gives heel pain sufferers some choices in how they would like to approach treatment, but some treatments certainly would be better than others depending on the severity of symptoms. At Home Treatments For mild pain that comes from the initial onset of a case of plantar fasciitis, treatment can begin at home. Keeping the plantar fascia ligament stretched is important to counteract any strain on the tissue. If the plantar fascia stays stretched and "warmed up," the less risk there is for tearing the fibrous tissue. One of the easiest ways to keep the fascia stretched is to take a wide belt and place its center under the ball of the foot. Keeping your knees straight, pull the belt upwards until the tissue along the bottom of the foot feels taut, and hold the this position for about ten seconds, then relax the foot and repeat. In addition, you might also want to take a tennis ball and roll it up and down the length of the foot. Rolling a tennis ball can be done at home, or even at the office, helping to keep and fascia stretched and loose throughout the day. It is especially important to do these exercises in the morning, as the fascia is particularly tight when we first get out of bed in the morning, and it also happens to be the time of day when pain can be at its worst. The value of these simple, easy home treatments is that heel pain sufferers can help curb heel pain before it gets worse, and it helps minimize the risk of needing more severe or cumbersome forms of treatment. Conservative Treatments That Keep You Moving Sometimes simple at-home stretches are not quite enough to reverse symptoms, and certainly not enough to treat conditions that have already set in. In addition, it's common to simply wait too long before seeking treatment, making it important to get a little extra help. Two of the most common devices used to treat heel pain causes are night splints and orthotics. Night splints are types of braces that wrap around the foot, the ankle, and sometimes even the lower leg. Night splints are worn at night and stretch the plantar fascia ligament as you sleep. The benefit of this treatment is that it is something that you don't have to worry about during the day. As you seep, the splint is working to stretch the plantar fascia ligament and calf muscles to reduce strain and reduce inflammation in the foot. Morning heel pain is also known to decrease after using a night splint. Despite these benefits, some people may feel that the night splint is a bit cumbersome, and may find it difficult to fall asleep at night while wearing such a device strapped around the leg. In addition, a night splint can be a somewhat costly treatment alternative. The orthotic is another common heel pain device, but it takes a slightly different approach to treatment. Rather than being worn at night like the night splint, an orthotic is a type of shoe insert that is worn throughout the day. An orthotic is far more compact and easier to apply. They can be placed in any type of shoe with a backing, and while you are exercising, working, and doing your daily routines, they work to re-stretch the plantar fascia, minimize pain, and reverse inflammation in the heel. In addition, they often provide additional cushioning and support for the foot as you move, which is important as well since ill-fitting shoes are often aggravating factors in heel pain conditions. Although podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons may recommend a custom-made shoe insert, over-the-counter orthotics are relatively affordable and readily available. Both night splints and orthotics help reverse common ailments such as plantar fasciitis by helping to aggressively stretch the plantar fascia ligament. Physicians also recommend both treatments to relieve pain. Each treatment offers a different methodology for reversing symptoms, and you may need to consider which you would be most comfortable wearing on a daily basis. When All Else Fails Stretching, splints, and orthotics, are considered more conservative methods of treatment. Unfortunately, severe cases of heel pain may require other types of treatment. Your physician may recommend a steroid injection to dissolve chronic pain. This method requires an injection of a steroid directly in the bottom of the foot, helping to numb the sensitive nerve tissue that has been slowing you down. Although this method is not common, it doesn't require the commitment that surgery does, but it also is not a long-term method of treatment, as pain will most likely return within several months if the condition has not healed. With most heel pain cases, surgery is not common. Keeping the fascia stretched prior to exercise and physical activity is a great preventative technique, and splints and orthotics have a pretty strong track record for being able to reverse conditions that have already developed. However, despite the range of conservative treatment methods available, surgery may still be required for the most serious cases of heel pain. Needless to say, surgery requires a big commitment, and requires you to be off your feet following surgery for a number of days. In addition, the cost of surgery is staggering when compared to other types of treatment. As always, it is important to ask many questions when seeing your podiatrist or physician, and consider all other treatments before resorting to expensive or invasive forms of treatment. Luckily, with so many treatment options to choose from, you can rest assured that you will find the ideal method to get you moving pain free. 
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