What causes pain in the heel and ankle?
Have you ever experienced excruciating pain in your foot or ankle while carrying out activities like running, walking, standing for extended periods or even wearing certain types of shoes? These aches might very well be attributed to the condition commonly known as plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fasciitis: The Hidden Battle Within Your Feet
This musculoskeletal issue can make you feel like someone is rubbing sandpaper against your heel whenever you take a step forward; It can also cause your ankle to ache badly enough that it disrupts your daily routine completely. But fear not! This article will uncover all there is to know about plantar fasciitis – from the common causes of this ailment and ways of preventing it, down to how best to deal with it if already have developed symptoms.
The Causes Of Pain In Your Heels And Ankles
The realm of potential culprits responsible for soreness in our feet goes beyond just one primary factor, making any sort of diagnosis quite challenging. Nevertheless, here are some possible reasons behind achy heels and ankles:
1) Tightened Calves From Too Much Sitting
When we sit idle at our desks or sofas day after day without taking breaks regularly enough for simple stretches such as pointing toes upwards towards knees (and vice versa), the calf muscle tends to tighten and become prone towards straining- leading eventually into heel-related pains.
2) Common Problems Arising From Weak Foot Muscles
A life spent predominantly wearing excessively-supportive shoes often fosters complacency in people regarding their natural arches’ mortality – which may lead their small muscular bindings supporting those metatarsals waste away over time till even simple tasks cause them immense discomfort akin going through fiery sands barefooted!
You could develop serious issues ranging anywhere between severely flattened arches resulting in over-pronation of your feet or even over-supination which in turn would also generate pain around the same spot.
3) Overuse Injuries
Football, basketball and other similar sports that require rapid changes of direction or sudden stops can cause repetitive micro-tears to occur within plantar fascia resulting inflammation/hardening- showstopper setbacks for athletic multi-taskers.
Prevention Is Better Than Cure – How To Avoid This Issue Altogether
Now you know the possible causes behind heel-related pains, let’s delve into some effective preventative measures against them:
4) Invest In Good Quality Shoes Or Orthotic Inserts That Provide Optimum Arch-Support:
It is crucial to invest money in shoes best tailored towards supporting our average-sized arches if we’re aiming at stabilizing any issues before they take hold firmly; Secondly acquiring good quality orthotics far better option than risking foot muscle strains wasting time on fussing with ill-fitted shoe choices.
5) Stretch Your Calves!
Keeping our calf muscles limbered up is essential through daily stretching exercises such as standing lunges or foot circles. Any means necessary works since tight calves drastically impact blood flow augmenting stress placed instead on tendons beneath soles = painful experience chiding ankles.
6) Be Conscious Of Workload And Activity Compulsions:
New training regimes strongly advised pacing intervals gradually whilst avoiding pushing past normal limits assuming it would lead to even greater results but ultimately leads us down rabbit hole filled with chaos soon finding unexpected injuries starting off small then exploding into bigger ones too late respond adequately – because prevention always wins over cure!
Treating Plantar Fasciitis ASAP If Already Developing Symptoms
Supposingly you do begin developing symptoms contending with sharp stabbing-like sensations around bottom of feet basic homecare treatments recommended initially include:
7) Regular Ice Treatment Throughout Day
Ice packs can be used many times throughout the day to alleviate pain and keep inflammation at bay.
8) Consider Bracing Your Arch
Plenty of options available like heel-sleeves or other supportive implements which are either suited towards elevating heels, providing additional support or adding compression intended encourage blood flow flowing thwarting signs localized aches.
9) Don’t Forgo Pain-Killers Completely!
While it’s important not to rely on medication entirely, sometimes over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen work wonders in curbing any subsequent agony while you execute physical therapy exercises geared towards improving overall flexibility via stretches.
Conclusion
The truth concerning foot-pain is disheartening: A vast majority people might have experienced some form plantar fasciitis-induced suffering several points within lifetime; It’s an underlying issue hiding within us that often avoided until already too late leaving those who suffer from this condition feeling disgruntled enough have even its mere mention induce tremors akin earthquake fears! So knowing how common plantar fasciitis really is, better invest more attentiveness caring these well-oiled machines called body whence ensure they sustainably last without burdening us for years enjoying whatever life opportunities ahead.