Heel Pain

Heel pain is a common condition in which weight bearing on the heel causes extreme discomfort. There are two categories of heel pain. The first is heel pain that is created by excessive impact on the heel of the foot, often referred to as "heel pain syndrome" that causes a bruising type pain in a specific area. This is commonly caused from shoes with little to no shock absorption in the heel, a thinning or shifting of heel pad tissue, and a sudden increase in activity. Plantar Fasciitis is the second category of Heel Pain. The plantar fascia is a broad band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom surface of the foot from the heel through the forefoot. A biomechanical dysfunction within the foot causes excessive stress to the plantar fascia and can lead to inflammation and discomfort usually caused by Over Pronation or Hyper Flexibility, unusually High Arch Feet, over use or a sudden increase in physical activity of the foot, excessive weight on the foot due to obesity, pregnancy or lifting heavy loads, climbing ladders without the use of proper shoes and support, and improperly fitting footwear. In the case of improperly fitting footwear, if the arch of the shoe is not fully securing the arch of the foot, the foot is short changed of proper arch support and Plantar Fasciitis may develope.

Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain are the most common foot pain complaints and the easiest to heal and prevent. Proper treatment and prevention for Plantar Fasciitis or Heel Pain includes a custom fitted ezWalker™ for support, stability, and improvement of balance and posture. The ezWalker™ will custom fit each foot independently securing the arch giving the best possible support, providing stability, balance, and aiding in the healing and prevention of Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain. New, HTP Heel Seats is another good alternative for healing Heel Pain. Ice/heat therapy is recommended to reduce inflammation and speed healing. The root cause of Heel Pain is hard to determine. It is important that the fascia remain in an elongated position while healing to avoid reinjury upon weight bearing. Therefore, it is recommended that a Night Splint be worn during long periods of rest and sleep. Also, never go barefoot during the healing process as the foot should be supported at all times during healing. Many comfort clog type shoes with built in arch support are good for use around the house to avoid the barefoot issue. However, the ezWalker™ can also be used in slippers, as these types of shoes most generally have no support. Follow these recommendations and give plenty of time for healing. It usually takes twice as long to heal the pain as the amount of time you have suffered with the condition.

Make sure you are fitting your shoes correctly. Feet are constantly changing as we age. Have your fit checked regularly and remember the size on the measuring device is only a reference. Mass manufactured shoes are NOT all created equal. Refer to the Shoe Fitting Reference Guide for proper guidelines on how to best fit your shoes.

If you are following these guidelines and pain persists you must seek the council of a physician for diagnosis and treatment.