Stop Ignoring That Morning Heel Pain: Solutions for Plantar Fasciitis

Every time your feet strike the ground when you walk, your heel absorbs the force of 1.5 times your body weight. That force increases with running and playing sports. Too much stress on your heel can irritate the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes, called the plantar fascia. 

Mild cases of plantar fasciitis respond well to at-home care. But if that morning heel pain lingers for more than a few weeks, or if it keeps coming back, don’t ignore it. 

At Alpine Foot & Ankle in Alpine Wyoming, and Idaho Falls, Idaho, podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon Andrew McCall, DPM, FACFAS, provides a full spectrum of care to help you stay healthy and active. If you’re dealing with nagging plantar fasciitis pain, Dr. McCall offers comprehensive treatment to relieve your pain and restore function. 

Start with simple at-home strategies

If your symptoms are mild or they’ve only recently started, several self-care solutions may help reduce your heel pain and support healing.

Stretch your feet, ankles, and calves regularly

Tight calf muscles can increase tension on the plantar fascia. Gentle stretching exercises for your calves, Achilles tendon, and the bottom of your foot can improve flexibility and reduce stress on the tissue. Try stretching before getting out of bed in the morning and again throughout the day.

Give your feet a break

Repetitive heel stress is often the recipe for plantar fasciitis to develop. If running, hiking, or standing for long hours seems to aggravate your symptoms, temporarily reducing those activities may give your heel time to recover.

Lower-impact activities such as swimming or cycling can help you stay active while placing less strain on your heel.

Wear supportive footwear

Walking barefoot on hard surfaces can aggravate plantar fasciitis. Supportive shoes with proper arch support and cushioning help absorb shock and reduce stress on the plantar fascia. Even around the house, supportive footwear is a better choice than going barefoot.

Apply ice when pain flares up

Ice can help calm inflammation and ease heel pain after a long day on your feet. Applying an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes at a time provides temporary relief and helps to manage symptoms.

Know when it’s time for professional treatment

While at-home care can ease heel pain in mild cases, you need a targeted, comprehensive approach when heel pain doesn’t let up or recurs frequently. 

If you’ve had symptoms for several weeks, if your pain keeps coming back despite self-care, and especially if heel pain interferes with work, exercise, or daily activities, it's time for a professional evaluation.

Dr. McCall conducts thorough assessments to identify the factors contributing to your pain and develops a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Depending on the results of your evaluation, treatment may include:

• Physical therapy
• Custom orthotics
• Corticosteroid injections
• Shockwave therapy
• Ultrasound therapy

These treatments can help relieve pain and reduce the likelihood of future flare-ups.

Don’t let treatment anxiety keep you from getting help

Some patients hesitate to seek treatment because they're nervous about in-office procedures, such as injections. Alpine Foot & Ankle offers Nitronox PLUS, a nitrous oxide and oxygen system that eases anxiety and enhances comfort during procedures. 

Patients remain awake and responsive while feeling more relaxed, helping make treatments such as steroid injections less stressful. 

Find the right solution for your heel pain

Don’t ignore your heel pain or try to push through it. Plantar fasciitis is highly treatable, and addressing it early often leads to faster recovery.

If you’re dealing with nagging heel pain, contact Alpine Foot & Ankle at the location near you today to schedule a consultation. With the right combination of self-care and expert treatment, you can move comfortably again.