For runners and athletes, Austin heel pain treatment is sought immediately if and when they incur such an injury on the field. As a debilitating injury that can affect performance on the track or in the arena, heel injuries can often lead to more permanent injuries and ailments if left untreated. Getting handicapped in the professional circuit will not do for the performing athlete, but sometimes heel pains can put one out of action even just for a little while.
Heel pains can have just as many treatments as they do with causes, so diagnosing why heel pains may arise is key to finding the right treatment. Having the right treatment to your heel pains can go a long way in preventing more serious ailments from arising because of the initial injury. It also promotes quicker recovery so you can go about daily life immediately. Know what is causing your heel pains before picking a treatment.
Diagnosing Your Heel Pains
As your legs and feet endure the constant pressure and stress of your weight being moved about throughout a day, injuries to the heels as well as the surrounding ligaments, tendons, and muscles are very common. Strenuous physical activity such as working out or playing sports can also induce excessive strain and stress to your heels, and can lead to the development of painful conditions which affect the heel and feet area.
The most common areas of pain around the legs and lower body are centered on the foot or heel region. The heels in particular can often make contact with the ground at high velocities when you run or simply carry your bag around on daily occasions. Every other physical activity which involves excessive amounts of running, pounding, or other activities which deliver intense levels force through the heel can cause pains.
Sometimes, the cause of heel pains can be as simple as shoes that fit badly on a person’s feet. Shoes that are unsupportive around the heel areas can add unwarranted and excessive pressure to the heel area, as well as other parts of the feet. Ill fitting shoes can also cause strain and misalignment of the bones, ligaments, joints, and muscles around the feet, causing mechanical malfunction and pain to the heels as well as the feet.
Ailments Caused by Heel Pains
Some of these pains can cause inflammation and tearing of the ligament which runs throughout the length of the bottom of your foot, the plantar fascia ligament. This kind of condition is called plantar fasciitis, and is a relatively common occurrence with people who experience heel pains. This condition is also caused by excessive physical activity and stress in the heel and foot regions, and can affect the entire foot if not treated.
Heel spurs can also be the cause of heel pain. These heel spurs are the pointed fragments of bones that extend from the heel of the foot towards the toes, causing more and more pain as the spurs tear through your skin, muscle and nerve tissue. Foot and heel pains will become more severe over time as the spurs continue to grow.
Tendonitis is not exclusive to just the heel, but can happen on any part of the body. Still, heel pains caused by tendonitis can be particularly painful, and results from excessive tearing along the back areas of the heel and ankle due to strenuous physical activity or repetitive acts that cause stress around these areas. Inflammation and pain are two symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis, but can still be very painful to the heel areas nonetheless.
Heel Pain Treatments
Unless your heel pains are a result of another disease or ailment, heel and foot pains can often be easily prevented and treated with homemade management or off the shelf products. Additional heel inserts which can be bought at sports or health stores can also alleviate stress on the heels, and can work to heal other ailments around the heel and foot areas much quicker than if you were to simply walk around in a pair of ill fitting shoes all day.
More serious cases of heel pains may warrant a trip to your doctor or other health professionals. People who perform strenuous physical activities throughout the day such as heavy construction work or professional sports can be victims to more serious cases of heel pains, calling for orthopedic shoes or braces to be worn around the feet. This may be supplemented by the use of off the shelf or prescribed painkillers to help ease heel pains.
Common drug store medications can also help reduce the pain around the heel area. Medications such as painkillers can be had at drug stores without prescriptions depending on the state laws on medication in your area, so check your local drug store if you are experiencing heel pains. Try and have someone drive you to these places as to not exacerbate your heel pains further.
Also available in drug stores are pain alleviating creams and lotions such as Vicks Vaporub and Bengay. These can be applied around the sore areas of the foot and heel in order to kill the pain around the affected regions, and can be especially comforting when applied while lying or sitting down on a comfortable surface. Try to use these while reclined or lying on your bed in order for the heel pain treatment process to take effect much quicker.