How To Prevent And Cure Heel Pain After Running?

No matter the level of running you perform, injuries are something inevitable and heel pain after running is one such very common issue. The problem sounds very simple but can get complicated if not taken care of in the early stages itself. There is a myriad of reasons to blame as well as a lot of remedies that can give appreciable results.

It is to take a collective approach towards familiarizing you with all the related aspects of heel pain that we present this article to you. It’s not just the treatment that we will be telling you about but also how to know the right cause that leads to the right cure. Read on.

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What can cause heel pain?

The list is long:

A very simple cause can be a dormant ankle that is not experiencing different types of motion. Similarly, too much stress on the ankle can be causing the heel pain after running.
High body weight can also cause the feet to fall on the ground wrongly as well as heavily, leading them to injury.
Any previous injuries can become the reason for changed movement patterns and feet alignment. Lack of proper recovery time or some permanent damage can lead to painful heels.
People with high arches or flat feet (fallen arches) feel more strained on their plantar fascia due to the particular feet shape and get more risked at feeling pain in the heels.
Several other food conditions can also be held as the cause like- Achilles tendonitis, Sever’s disease, arthritis, stress fracture, nerve irritation, etc. We will be dealing with them in a dedicated section.

What are the symptoms?

If you notice any of these things happening to your feet, then you must know that a problem is on the rise:

You will feel pain mostly on the downside or the back of the heel.
It will begin gradually and then turn severe.
The pain is not necessarily connected to any injury.
The mornings are really painful and so are the day ends.
You may also feel pain in the inner foot or heel front.
If you wear flat shoes, then you are at a high risk of heel pain.

How to know the right cause of heel pain?

Heel pain after running can be a result of various causes which can be difficult to diagnose in one go. Although a very simple way to ascertain the cause can be to understand that which part of the foot is feeling the pain. Let us help you with that.

Pain in the foot arch- Plantar Fasciitis
Toes paining- Bunions, Corns
Toenails pain- Black toenail, Subungual hematoma
Pain at the foot top- Extensor Tendonitis
Pain at foot front- Numbness
Pain at foot side- Tendinitis, Stress fractures
The skin of the foot paining- Blisters, Athlete’s foot

What are some major foot problems that cause heel pain?

It’s a fact that pain in the heel doesn’t emanate from any single injury like fall or any twist in the foot. The heels also get affected by repetitive pounding and stress on the particular area or around. Let us tell you some of the other causes that become the major culprit behind a painful heel.

Plantar fasciitis

This can be the worst problem any good runner may happen to face and is a very stubborn menace.

Pain on the downside of the heel happens due to a foot problem called Plantar Fasciitis and heel pain after running are primarily a result of this. It involves the inflammation or collagen degeneration of a ligament near the foot tip called Plantar Fascia and the arch being low or high. The risk factors for it include gait, age, strenuous exercises, foot mechanics, obesity, wrong footwear, and occupational hazards.

This condition requires clinical diagnosis and happens mostly with the runners having flat feet. The pain subsided with activity but it returns after that and can even get worse. You feel pain mostly in the mornings when it’s very bad and this happens due to the tissues becoming tight and dormant.

Watch this video.

Achilles tendonitis

This can be believed to be the second usual reason for heel pain after running. This chronic foot condition is related to the gradual degeneration of the Achilles Tendon. It is caused by microscopic tearing of the tendon which is not able to repair and self-heal.

This way, the tendons become more thick, weak, and ultimately painful. Excessive walking or exercising, Rheumatoid Arthritis, lack of warm-up, the strain on calf muscles, improper footwear, bone spurs in the heel area, age factor, etc. can become the reason behind Achilles Tendonitis. If you feel swelling and pain in the heel back during running or calf muscles getting tightened or motion limitedness, then it becomes evident that you are suffering from Tendonitis.

Pain in the foot sides

This lateral pain casts an effect on the outer portion of the foot or heel whereas medial pain causes problems to the inner edge. There can be many causes of it- a sudden increase in mileage training, sprain, improper footwear, tarsal coalition, bunions, calluses, corns, etc. The major reasons that cause are-

Tendon inflammation or Tendinitis- This induces slow pain into the feet which increases gradually and gets worst later. Rest and icing are the remedies or if the situation worsens then any foot specialist may have to help with any therapy.

Stress fracture- This is another very common injury among the runners that have direct roots in osteoporosis, strenuous exercises, sports, repetitive stress, or heavy physical work. The metatarsal bones of the feet get fractured.

Bruised heel

It is the contusion of bone and tissues present under the heel and the pain happens here only. The pain is gradual and gets worse if you continue walking. This condition is caused by hard sole footwear, high intensity running, sudden mileage increase.

The symptoms of the Bruised heel are quite similar to the ones of plantar fasciitis and also a very common reason behind heel pain.

Severs disease

The children and teenage athletes are the usual sufferers of this foot condition that causes heel pain after running. It happens due to continuous microtrauma being caused to the growth plates associated with the heel bone or overuse.

Heel bursitis

Bursa is a liquid-filled fibrous sack at the heel back. It suffers from pain if stress is put over it due to hard landing or the footwear. The heel insides or back pain due to this and even may lead to swelling in the Achilles tendon.

Chronic inflammation

This happens in the heel pad if they become too thin or get too stressed due to heavy footsteps.

Heel bumps

More frequent with teenagers, their immature heel bone rubs too much due to a flat foot or uncomfortable footwear like heels.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

It is like a compression neuropathy that affects the foot or ankle due to the entrapping of a particular nerve.

The list is not over and some other reasons that can be cited when its Foot arch pain not plantar fasciitis- calcaneal stress fracture, soft tissue mass, bone bruise, circulation problems, Baxter’s nerve entrapment, short flexon tendon tear, systemic arthritis, poor posture, gout, osteomyelitis, peripheral neuropathy, neuroma, and many others.

What preventive measures you can take?

Prevention is the best option that needs to be undertaken to both- prevent any injury or avoid getting injured again. It’s the wisest choice and let us tell you what all you can do to not let heel pain after running ruin your moment.

Wearing the right foot is very important and always select those pair of shoes that serve your purpose. Accurate sizing, right configuration, and good closure pattern must be checked for.
Check your gait or the walking pattern for any mistake. Your body affects how you walk and you should be aware of it. Change your footstrike pattern if need be.
Giving rest to feet is crucial if you are feeling any type of pain.
Evaluate the running technique that you have been following as a wrong one can lead to stress fractures at worst.
Choose better surfaces to run over and never go barefoot.
Put on good quality socks which you should change regularly for avoiding any risk of fungal infections.
Warm-ups are inevitable as they charge the muscles and heat the body.
Keep performing strength training and exercises to improve flexibility. Simple exercises like stretches and golf ball rolls can help.
Always go gradual while training for any running level. Any sudden increase or overuse might lead to detrimental results.
Maintain good body weight.

How to treat and help pain from running?

Early treatment of the symptoms is the best option and you can choose to start with home treatments that will prove very effective if done right. It is wise to start as soon as you see the symptoms emerging.

Rest is extremely important which goes ignored by a lot of people. You should never do any running or related activity if you are injured or feeling any flare-ups in the legs. Do not get back on track until the symptoms are gone or you feel totally alright.
Certain easy exercises prove very beneficial for post-treatment and longer relief from pain and also improve flexibility. You can try gentle calf and feet stretching as well as other strengthening exercises for around 5-10 minutes in two or three sessions every day.
Inflammation and pain can be a runner’s nightmare as it can prove detrimental to their training for longer than usual. To get relief from these, put an ice pack on the heels for good 20 minutes every day.
Medicinal help can come from NSAIDs or Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen as well as natural remedies like cloves, turmeric, and fish oil supplements. Some cases may also require Corticosteroid injections
A good massage or specific acupuncture treatments can also help.
Athletic taping can also be considered for giving better support to the feet bottom.
Some added comfort never hurts and things like wedges, shoe lifts, heel pads, and other orthotic devices help to correct the muscle imbalances and stability against the incorrect movement. Going barefoot is a bad option.
If things are really serious, then using a detachable walking cast is a good option to give additional support to the ankle and foot. Night splints continue the treatment during rest.

Extra tip: These two stretches are going to help pain from running in the two prime foot conditions-

The Plantar Fascia stretch can be done with sitting down and putting the paining feet across the knee. Use the hand of the painful side to pull the toes back towards the shin till the arch feels a stretch. Run thumb along the foot for feeling tension and hold this till 10 seconds.
The Achilles Tendon Stretch can be done with you standing with the painful foot at the back and point its toes towards the front foot heel, leaning into a wall. Keep the heel solid on the ground and bend the front knee while keeping the back knee straight. Hold this till 10 seconds.

Watch this video to know more.

Do you need to see the doctor?

When the situation escalates and nothing works, then its time you seek medical help. We will tell you when.

If you feel unending pain along with swelling in the heel portion
If you are experiencing tingling sensations in the feet along with pain, fever, and numbness
If you are unable to walk normally at all
If you are unable to stand on your toe or bend your feet downwards
If the pain doesn’t subside even after one week
If even walking or standing straight gives pain
If you heard a ‘pop’ while any injury

Once you reach this level, then the doctor might suggest a surgery after proper diagnosis based on your medical history (if any) and give the right treatment as per the results.

Conclusion

We wrote this exhaustive article only to not leave any stone unturned while helping you deal with the heel pain after running that you may be experiencing. We covered every issue that can be responsible for the pain and all the curing measures that you can take. Hopefully, you will recover faster with the proper care and our effort will be a part of it.

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