Active Living without the Heel Pain

Outdoor living is a passion for thousands of Wichita residents. Whether you like to take a leisurely stroll down the Arkansas River Path or play an intense game of pickup basketball, there’s always something fun to do!

Unfortunately, heel pain is an all-too-common companion of the physically active. And over time, what begins as an occasional irritate may slowly force you to begin cutting your run short or reducing the length, intensity, or frequency of your workouts, shopping trips, and other hobbies.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! You should never simply accept heel pain as an inevitable consequence of healthy, active living, because it isn’t. We want all our patients to live lives to the fullest, pain free. That means a proactive approach and early intervention whenever heel pain starts becoming an obstacle in your life.

Successful prevention, management, and relief from heel pain while maintaining a high level of physical activity can take many forms, depending on the root causes of your discomfort. These might include:

• Supporting your feet with the right shoes. If shoes don’t fit, they’re going to hurt. If they’re old and worn out, the midsole has probably collapsed far enough that your heels aren’t getting the shock absorption they need. Any time you plan to be active, you should have a good pair of athletic shoes (specific to the sport, if you play regularly) ready to go.
• Further supporting your feet with orthotic inserts. If you suffer from more significant structural misalignments or biomechanical problems with your feet or ankles, a good pair of shoes might not be enough. We can help you pick out an appropriate off-the-rack orthotic or, if necessary, fit you for a custom set.
• Modifying your activity schedule to go easier on your feet. If your favorite activities are all high-impact (running, basketball, football, etc.), cut back a bit and spend your other days on low-impact workouts. Swimming, cycling, low-impact weight training, etc. are good choices.
• Easing into new sports, activities, and workout schedules. Those of you who pursued your New Year’s Resolutions too vigorously earlier this month might be able to relate! If your body isn’t used to certain movements or levels of intensity, it will need time to adjust. In other words, you gotta start slow. Go at a moderate level at first—don’t push yourself so hard—and increase the difficulty slowly from week to week.

If your heel pain is stubborn and isn’t seeming to respond to these kinds of simple lifestyle remedies, you may need more direct treatment for your symptoms. Surgery may be necessary in extreme cases, but usually we are able to bring about heeling long before it gets to that point—thanks especially to state-of-the-art care options like MLS laser and shockwave therapy.

To schedule an appointment with our team, give us a call today at (866) 222-5177.