Do you notice a sore, stinging sensation in your heels or directly underneath your feet after lots of activity, or after standing or walking for long periods of time?
Discomfort can be unpleasant at best, and debilitating at worst. Here, we talk you through the common causes of heel pain and teach you how you can treat your symptoms with the help of our customisable orthotic insoles.
What could be causing pain in your heel?
Heel pain is a symptom of many different foot-related conditions. Plantar fasciitis, which is sometimes referred to as policeman’s heel, is one of the most common.
The plantar fascia, the ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot, can become torn due to injury or general wear and tear. This damage causes it to become inflamed, leading to ongoing discomfort that gets worse after exercise and is particularly bad first thing in the morning.
Achilles tendonitis could be another culprit. This occurs when the tendon that attaches your calf muscles to your heel bone becomes painful and swollen.
Heel spurs, bursitis, peripheral neuropathy, arthritis and stress fractures can also cause heel pain if left unaddressed.
What can you do to relieve your symptoms?
Your GP will probably tell you that the best thing to do is to stop all activities that are making your heel pain worse. This might mean avoiding walking, running, jumping and sports that involve these kinds of movements for a few weeks while your muscles and joints heal. Your doctor may also suggest that you try:
- Raising your heel whenever you can
- Placing an ice pack over the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes every few hours
- Wrapping a bandage around your ankle for extra support and stability
- Taking over-the-counter pain relief (although this should be considered a short-term measure only)
- Wearing comfortable, supportive shoes with a soft sole
All these treatment methods will work well – but one of the simplest and most cost-effective things you can do to ease your discomfort is invest in one of our tried-and-tested insoles for heel pain relief.
How can orthotic insoles help to manage heel pain?
OrthoSole’s insoles are ideal for managing plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis and the many other conditions that are known to cause heel pain because they provide excellent added support to the parts of your feet that can begin to weaken, or start to sustain damage, over time.
The unique metatarsal pads – which are supplied with each set of insoles, and which can be swapped around according to the level of cushioning you need – deliver additional backing to your foot arch and keep your plantar fascia and your metatarsal bones well supported during all kinds of movement.
All the insoles in our range are biomechanically the same, which means they will all deliver much-needed cushioning and foot stability to people like you who are suffering from heel pain. The key is to pick a product that suits your footwear, your lifestyle and, of course, your budget!
Our Max Cushion insoles work exceptionally well in trainers, walking boots, walk boots and other shoes that have plenty of room, while our Thin Style insoles are best for more tight-fitting footwear. We also offer a range of OrthoSole footwear consisting of sliders and flip flops to keep you supported and looking stylish in the hotter summer months.
