One of the most common foot ailments is heel pain. The pain is most severe when undue weight is put on the area. There is a strip of tissues in your foot called the plantar fascia and it is damage and thickening of this section that causes the discomfort. There are a range of techniques used in heel pain treatment San Francisco.

The first method offered is to rest the foot that is affected. This means that you should avoid walking or standing for extended time periods. It is however recommended that you stretch your calves and feet by using specific exercises. The exercises should be done on both legs even if only one heel is affected.

Before you get out of your bed in the morning, you can use a towel to form a loop around the foot. Pull your toes toward your body whilst maintaining a straight knee. You should repeat this exercise three times on each of your feet.

An alternate exercise is to roll the arch of the foot over a round object. This can be something simple, such as a tennis ball or soda can. The use of a chilled can will provide you with added relief for the discomfort. Aim to move your ankle and foot in all directions for several minutes. Repeat this exercise at least twice every day.

Pain relief as a form of heel pain treatment San Francisco may be offered by your doctor, in the form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. The placement of an ice pack may provide the sufferer with some pain relief. You should not apply an ice pack directly to your skin, but wrap it in a towel.

Your doctor may recommend a change in the type of footwear you normally wear. You may be advised to wear a shoe with a heel as a flat soled shoe will not provide any support to the area which could cause added discomfort. Shoes that offer good support for your foot arches and cushioning on the heels will ease the discomfort. Although high heeled shoes are recommended for females and heeled shoes for men, they should not be worn for long periods of time as it could exacerbate the problem.

The placement of orthoses may be recommended by your doctor. Orthoses are insoles that are placed into your shoe. It offers the entire foot support and this will help relieve the heel pain. Insoles are available from larger pharmacies and sports stores. If you find the store bought orthoses to be ineffective, it is possible to have them custom made to fit your foot shape.

An alternative to orthoses is to strap the affected area with sports strapping tape. This type of strapping relieves the pressure that is felt in the heel. You can make use of night splints to keep your foot and toes pointing in an upward direction. This allows the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia to stretch which should speed up the recovery time.

Heel pain treatment San Francisco rarely requires surgery. In the event that surgery is recommended, it will be done as a last resort once all other avenues of treatment have been tried.