Heel pain can really interfere with day-to-day activities! Sure, it might not upset you much if your hurting heel stops you from mowing the lawn or mopping the floor, but when that pain gets in the way of your workouts, well that’s when you just have to put your foot down (albeit very gently). This is especially true if you happen to be training for something like the upcoming LVTC Legends of Cross Country race – you don’t want pain in your heel to hold you back! Luckily (believe it or not), there are stretches to help with heel pain!
It might be surprising, but stretches really can ease painful heels. Many times, it’s the surrounding soft tissues that are responsible for your grief. The band of tissues spanning your arch, for instance, can become irritated and inflamed with overuse causing it to pull on your heel – a common case of plantar fasciitis. A tight calf muscle and Achilles tendon can also be to blame. So, it makes sense, then, that stretches for heel pain focus on these areas.
You can stretch the band of tissues in your arch (the plantar fascia) by gently pulling your toes toward you. Looping a towel around your toes then pulling the ends of the towel toward you can help as well. Also try rolling your foot over a tennis ball, or even better, a frozen water bottle – you’ll be icing it at the same time!
Stretch your calf and Achilles by facing a wall and placing both palms on it while extended one leg back and pressing your heel to the floor. Switch and repeat. Next, stand on the edge of a step with toes on the step and heels overhanging. Slowly lower your heels down.
Doing these stretches every day will go a long way toward stopping your heel pain from hindering you! If you need additional help, pay us a visit at Absolute Foot Care Specialists’ Nevada Heel Pain Center of Excellence. We will be happy to assess your problem and get you on a treatment plan to get you to that cross-country starting line! You can make an appointment online or by calling (702) 839-2010.
