How to Prevent Heel Pain

Protect your feet from heel pain by following these simple, everyday tips.

Heel pain is incredibly common, as most people will deal with this problem at some point during their lifetime. Fortunately, at Affiliates in Podiatry in Concord and Meredith, NH, we're here to help. Read on to learn of some ways to prevent heel pain from occurring to you.

Wear Properly Fitted and Appropriate Shoes

While you may love sporting high heels or whatever shoes are in season, the problem is that many dress shoes don’t provide feet with enough support. It’s important that you are shopping for the right shoes for your chosen sport or profession. For example, nurses and people who are on their feet most of the day need to wear shoes that provide ample cushioning and support. The type of sport you play will also determine the type of athletic footwear you’ll need to wear.

Take time to truly find the right shoes for your lifestyle and activity level. Talk to a shoe specialist at your local shoe store, who can measure your feet and provide you with recommendations.

Consider Custom Orthotics

While finding the right shoes can provide your feet, particularly your heels, with support and cushioning, it’s also important to reduce shock absorption. Whether you are prone to heel pain or not, our Concord, NH, foot doctors can examine your feet and determine whether you could benefit from customized shoe inserts. These inserts are fashioned to your feet providing you with additional support and shock absorption to reduce your risk for plantar fasciitis.

Slowly Amp Up Workouts

If you run or workout, it’s particularly important that you are listening to your feet and not putting them through too much stress and abuse. That’s why it’s important to incorporate new workouts gradually, rather than immediately increasing miles, speed, or intensity. If you suddenly go from running on a treadmill to running outdoor trails, you will need to decrease your mileage until your feet become accustomed to the rocky, uneven terrain.

It’s also important to incorporate rest days into your weekly workout routine, especially if you’re someone who participates in high-impact or high-intensity sports. Cross-training is key to reducing heel pain and injury, so make sure that you are adding low-impact workouts such as swimming or biking into the mix.

Prioritize the Health of Your Feet
 

Our Concord and Meredith Meredith, NH, offices are now opened during the pandemic. The doctors are treating heel pain and providing comprehensive foot and ankle care at this time. Affiliates in Podiatry is also providing telemedicine visits, so patients can still get care from a medical professional without leaving the house. We also offer curbside pickup of supplies and orders. To schedule an appointment or telemedicine visit please call our Concord, NH, office at (603) 225-5281 or our Meredith office at (603) 279-0330

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