Pain in the heel of the foot in the morning when you wake up or when walking is certainly very disturbing daily routine activities and reduces the quality of life of the sufferer. It's best if you don't ignore the pain in your heels that often appears. Maybe these symptoms are an indication of plantar fasciitis or inflammation of the ligaments . Plantar fasciitis can be considered the most common cause of heel pain.
Then, what exactly is plantar fasciitis ? Plantar fasciitis is a disease that attacks the tissue on the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to all the toes called the plantar fascia . When the tissue becomes inflamed, it will cause symptoms of pain in the heel area. So, to keep your heels healthy and avoid plantar fasciitis, you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and activities that don't put too much pressure on your feet.
What Can Be Done to Prevent Heel Pain?
To prevent heel pain, keep the plantar fascia (the thick tissue that runs from the heel bone to the toe area) healthy. The trick, choose shoes that fit the foot, have a support base that is attached to the base of the shoe and are equipped with a strong heel counter so that it can provide good support. The better the shape of your shoes in supporting your feet, the better the health of your plantar fascia will be maintained.
In addition, you also need to replace damaged or worn shoe soles. Worn out shoe soles can cause the heel protector to lose some of its support so that the footsteps become uneven which tends to make the heel hurt.
Then, if you like to exercise, don't forget to warm up enough. Warming up can prevent stiff calves during or after exercise. This stiff calf condition is one of the triggers for heel pain. So, it's a good idea to always stretch before and after doing sports, especially stretching in the leg area.
Lastly, try to avoid standing or walking on hard surfaces continuously for long periods of time. Always try to give pauses in your activities to rest the foot area.
How to Treat If Heel Pain Has Occurred?
If heel pain attacks you, the first step you can take is to compress the sore heel with ice. You can also compress the bottom of the foot and heel by using a frozen bottle rolled along the sole of the foot.
This compression will usually reduce the intensity of heel pain. If pain persists for up to two weeks, immediately consult an EMC hospital doctor in the pain management center so that you can get the right diagnosis and treatment right away. Keep in mind that the longer you ignore the pain, the longer it will take for treatment.
For pain in the heels, the EMC hospital can provide therapy with the Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) method. This therapy uses shock waves that can relieve pain in the soft tissue in the soles of your feet. This ESWT can relieve heel pain that cannot be relieved by medication or other measures. So, don't delay getting a consultation if the pain doesn't improve so you can return to your activities freely and walk on a healthy foot. #LiveExcellently