One minute you're walking like a lapwing, the next you suddenly have a pain in your heel. It's probably heel spurs. Very painful, but above all very annoying. These are our solutions to relieve or remedy heel spurs.
With heel spur complaints, the attachment of your foot sole tendon is inflamed or even calcified. This is a wide tendon that runs from your forefoot to your heel. This irritation is caused by temporary or long-term overload, for example after running on a hard surface or after a long walk without training. By making your muscles stronger, they can withstand more stress.
Sit in a chair with your bare feet on a rolled out towel. Try moving the towel toward you with your toes. You can make it more difficult by placing a book on the end of the towel. Stretch your muscles by grasping your toes on one foot and gently stretch them toward you.
When the position of your feet deviates or your walking pattern is wrong, it increases the chance of overload and therefore heel spurs. About sixty percent of the population suffers from overpronation, where the foot tilts inwards while walking and the weight falls on the inside of your foot. This causes your arch of the foot to sag too far and put pressure on the tendon plate, which can lead to heel spurs over time.
Have your feet and gait checked by a podiatrist. Insoles (custom) can correct this deviation, which reduces the chance of an incorrect load on your foot muscles. You can also experiment first with special heel spur insoles in a fixed shoe size, such as this † You can also choose gel insoles that only support your heel.
Although heel spurs are annoying and painful, it can't hurt. Once you have developed a heel spurs, if you are lucky, the pain will go away on its own within one to four months. Special heel spurs can help reduce the pain in the meantime.
Heel spurs come to just below your knee. A band with a buckle runs from your toes to your shin. When you lock this, stretch your toes toward you. This will make your sole of the foot smoother and reduces pain.
By walking barefoot on the sand, you distribute the pressure over your entire foot and train all foot muscles. This stimulates blood circulation and makes your foot sole tendon more flexible. Due to the slight pressure on your heel, the pain also decreases.
Don't run a marathon right away, a fifteen minute walk on the beach is enough. And did you know that you can even wear invisible shoes, like these † Handy for when you're on your bare feet want to walk through the forest. Will it remain painful? Then cool your muscles afterwards with a cool pack ten minutes on the painful spot.
Stairs Exercise:Stand on the bottom step of the stairs facing the stairs. Hold onto the railing and then slowly lower your heels down. How to fill that up for a few seconds and do that a few times a day.
Be aware of stress:heel spurs are extremely annoying and can easily last longer than the few months that are sometimes predicted. Stress can make heel spurs worse. Even tense calf muscles – because you are tensing your muscles unnoticed – can cause pain in your heel. Massage your calves or have it done and try to bring more relaxation into your life.
Soft Gel Heel Spur Insoles (less than 5 euros)
