Heel pain

LittleMissRainey
LittleMissRainey Posts: 440 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My mum and I have just been to a Zumba class and while walking afterwards she kept catching her heel mid-step and it looks painful when she walks or gets up from a sitting position :ohwell:

Is there anything I can do for her?

Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    RICE

    Rest
    Ice the affected area.
    Compression
    Elevation
  • Merci444
    Merci444 Posts: 222 Member
    Check into plantar faciitis. I have it, and it got really inflamed for me when I did a difficult boot camp style calsss with a lot of impact. It is characterized by heel pain and pain upon rising from sitting position or lying down. It sucks :( I have a lot of suggestions that helped me (losing weight helped as well)
  • mitaylors
    mitaylors Posts: 5
    Try a Chinese foot massage. If it's plantar fasciitis, it might help. After 5 years of doing everything the dr told me (even strapping on those torture devices to sleep in), a massage cured mine. I've been pain free for 2 1/2 years now. Best $25 I ever spent.
  • Gizziemoto
    Gizziemoto Posts: 430 Member
    Try the RICE and check for plantar fasciitis. I waited a month before finding out that is what I have. I do not sleep in the tortue devices anymore. Just streching, good every day shoes, and inserts for my other shoes.
  • fittertanme
    fittertanme Posts: 259 Member
    I get that but its called shin splints very painfull
  • LittleMissRainey
    LittleMissRainey Posts: 440 Member
    Thanks for replying everyone, I'll take that on board.

    The only problem with elevating the foot is that mum likes to potter around the house and says she "has too much to do" bless her. Will keep plugging away at her til she listens.
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    My first thought was also plantar fasciitis. I have it and orthopaedics were recommended for me, but my Doctor also gave me a handout full of stretches that would be good for it, and I haven't needed to get the orthos. Hurts the most after I've been sitting down and then getting up and walking about. One of the stretches was standing and facing a wall and putting my toes up against the wall with my heel on the ground and pushing against the wall (sorry, does that make sense?) It helps a lot for me!

    I also noticed that this started only about a year and a half ago when I've been at my heaviest...I figured my feet weren't handling the new weight I was getting it to carry around, a previous poster also said losing weight might help as it did for her, which is what I'm working on now :)
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    RICE

    Rest
    Ice the affected area.
    Compression
    Elevation

    If it's plantar fasciatis she need to stretch it, you can find tons of stretches online. I had a really bad round of plantar fasciatis when I first started getting back into shape, went to a foot and ankle specialist and I was pleased when he told me to continue running and walking. I was given an orthotic, stretched, iced, took aleve every 12 hours and continued exercise.

    stretching with your foot against the wall helps, the problem with the heel is it's attached to the achilles so you have to stretch teh achilles to work the tendons of the feet. Heavier set people tend to have more problems with plantar fasciatis and heel bone spurs can either cause or be created by this problem (I have both)

    I have found that any classes that require a lot of bouncing on my feet, step class, zumba, kick boxing, jumping rope, all cause the soreness to return. I have recently added a small amount back into my workouts because I have been pain free for over a year.

    If you don't want orthotics or inserts look for shoes labeled as a stability shoe, they are built to help support the weaker parts of your arches.

    Anyway, I can go on and on about how to fix this, but inactivity should be avoided, I know people say to stop but inactivity makes the tendons tight and will recreate the issue over and over again. Also recommend to everyone to roll your ankles and flex and point your feet BEFORE getting out of bed in the morning, this will prevent the tendon from tearing and help reduce the chronic swelling.

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