4 Top Tips To Follow When Walking With Heel Pain

Heel pain is an inconvenience that the majority of us face when walking or running. It is especially common when you are starting to get into walking or running for exercise for the first time or if you have take a break from activity for a period of time and then start back all of a sudden.

Here are a few secret tips to follow to ensure that those little niggles of pain don’t turn into a more serious and painful problem.

1.Stick to walking on flat ground.

I am aware that most of us like to challenge ourselves when exercising and walking on hills/ slopes and uneven ground is a way to do this. Unfortunately, for those of us that suffer from heel pain, hills will make everything worse. Where possible, try to stay on flat ground in order to reduce the amount of tension and stress that is put through the heel. Instead of challenging yourself with hills, use the clock as your challenger and try to beat your time on whichever flat walking route you choose.

2.Stretch before your walk/run

Stretches are an excellent tool that we use regularly to reduce heel pain. They help to reduce tension at the heel and also help to prime your muscles before exercise so that they are ready for whatever lies ahead. It is important that stretches are carried out with the correct form in order to have the desired effect.

3.Wear Runners with a Heel Pitch

The heel pitch of a shoe is the difference in height or thickness between the heel of the shoe and the front part of the shoes (toe box). It is very important not to wear flat shoes when walking as the heel pitch of a shoe will allow you to get from heel to toe a lot easier and will also help to reduce any extra stress or tension going through the heel. A quick and easy test for heel pitch is to ensure that the sole of the shoes is twice the thickness at the heel than the thickness at the front of the shoe. If unsure about this, do not hesitate to give us a call for some advice over the phone.

4.Control the Distance of your Walk

Distance plays a major part in the control of heel pain when walking. It is ok to feel a little bit of pain when walking but if the pain persists for more than 5-10 minutes post exercise then it may be time to reduce the length of the walk. Never try to “push through the pain”. Listen to your body and let pain be the controlling factor in how far you walk.

If you have any questions regarding any of the above please do not hesitate to get in contact with us and one of our podiatry team will be happy to answer any questions you may have. 📞Tel:0493126692

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