painful heel - any suggestions

[Surreygirl30]

Hi guys,

i have been doing a lot of exercise for the past year and as of late I have been in agony with the heel on my right foot. It seems to be around the edge of my heel and feels as bad as a sprain at times. It also comes and goes.

It is worse when i get up in the morning and after rest and then get up to walk. I have had it on and off for a while and if i don't exercise it goes and as soon as i exercise it comes back. I am aware of heel spurs etc but was wondering be it that it is around the outer part of my heel is there are any OTC products that may help relieve it a bit.

Or if anyone else has the same thing what they do - i really can't give up exercise as I have 2 conditions that affect my metabolism and without doing all my training I stack weight on. It's really getting me a bit down as I want to carry on with it all but these past few days the pain has been really bad.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Octavius]

A quick Q. Have you changed trainers recently?

[rugeleyboy]

i think it may be your bed??

the wife suffers with this for at least a year, over the past week or 2 i have now started to suffer with the exact same symptoms as you describe.............. i say it may be the bed, because thats the only thing we share and we are looking at new mattresses?

[Goodsoulette]

sounds like Plantar Fasciitis. Its aproblem with the ligament that runs under your foot and is often more painful in the morning. I had problems with it when I worked in a pub because it involved long periods of standing although exercise can cause similar stress. I had to get orthotic insoles and it helped no end. Go to your doctor and see if you can get a referral to a chiropodist.

[Octavius]

It could be a number of things. Perhaps you might consider what may have changed in your life when it started to hurt.

It could be as Rugelyboy has said, or, for example, it could be plantar fasciitis (PF) as pointed out above. Repetitive activity can cause the pad of our heels to stretch. Sometimes when this happens, small tears appear in the pad which becomes inflamed. This usually happens near or at the point where the pad is attached to the heel, which is why it feels painful. The symptoms can also be caused by the frequent wearing of high heels, ill-fitting trainers or through age and weight. PF is an inflammation of the pad, whereas heel spur is to do with the heel bone itself.

Arnica cream and witch hazel solution are good natural anti-inflammatory treatments. Paracetamol and ibuprofen work well, too. Other treatments include putting a foam ring support in the heel of the shoe to keep the pressure off the painful area (homemade or bought from a pharmacist), acupuncture, physiotherapy or even steroid injections can be used (usually only once other treatments have failed).

The best person to advise would be your GP.

[Surreygirl30]

Thanks for all the replies - really helpful. the main thing i guess is that i dont have good trainers and i do carry extra weight. i will try the insoles and try and see the dr at some point, My dr isnt near and its hard for me to get there in the day time.

Reading up on Plantar Fasciitis i do seem to have all the signs of that :-(

[rabbitygirl]

My husband had 'spur heel' (which may be as the Latin diagnosis posted by others). Symptoms you describe exactly the same. Took him to Boots and paid about �20 for pair of moulded shoe liners as I think the adverts about this in the papers offer something similar for much more money. They alter angle of walk slightly to relieve pressure on your heel I believe. After a short while he noticed a big improvement, only wore the one for a while and now no longer uses them at all.

[Surreygirl30]

thanks rabbitygirl - yes i was looking at some insoles in boots at the weekend and debated it but looking at what you have written i think i might get some. Thanks for the help.