Heel Pain After Exercise: 3 Treatments for Lasting Relief

An intense workout should make you feel good and energized — not end up in heel pain. You may have plantar fasciitis if your heels hurt after every workout or activity.

You get this condition from inflammation in your plantar fascia, a large ligament that runs underneath your foot. Without proper care, the pain is persistent and may keep you away from the activities you love.

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, our team specializes in many orthopedic problems, including plantar fasciitis. Our ten medical specialists get to the bottom of your heel pain and give you expert treatment so you can return to working out without pain.

What causes heel pain?

Heel pain is a generalized problem due to several conditions, such as a heel fracture, Achilles tendonitis, or arthritis.

However, if your heel pain only occurs after a workout or physical activity, it's likely due to plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis happens when the thick ligament under your foot becomes inflamed.

When you're active, especially during exercise, your plantar fascia faces a lot of pressure. This excess pressure causes the ligament to stretch or tear, which causes swelling and pain in your foot and heel.

People with high arches, flat feet, or who are overweight are at a higher risk for this condition. Athletes, especially runners, are more prone to plantar fasciitis as well.

Signs of a problem

If you have plantar fasciitis, one of the hallmark signs is intense pain after a workout or exercise. The pain doesn't affect you during the activity but comes on as soon as you're at rest.

There are other symptoms of plantar fasciitis as well. Some of the other signs of a heel problem include:

• Pain or discomfort in your foot arch
• Swelling in your heel
• Pain that doesn't get better with home care
• Pain under your foot or close to your heel
• Tightness in your Achilles tendon

Another common sign of plantar fasciitis is pain that worsens after sitting or standing in one place for too long. Your heel pain is typically worse when you get up in the morning.

If you have any of these symptoms, our team can help. Expert care and treatment of plantar fasciitis help you get rid of your heel pain once and for all.

Three essential treatments for heel pain

Plantar fasciitis may be the culprit when you find yourself favoring your heel after a workout. Prompt treatment of this condition helps you avoid long-term discomfort and more severe problems in your foot.

Our team recommends several non-surgical treatments for long-lasting relief of your heel pain. Three of the main treatments for this condition include:

1. Stretching

Stretching is another crucial treatment for plantar fasciitis. Our team gives you different stretches to do before and after physical activity.

Stretching your heels and feet regularly relieves pain associated with plantar fasciitis. It helps prevent it from reoccurring in the future.

2. Ice

The inflammation associated with plantar fasciitis causes pain in your foot and heel. Icing your heel for about twenty minutes several times a day helps decrease pain and inflammation in your foot.

3. Rest

Rest is one of the best things you can do for plantar fasciitis. Staying away from physical activities on your feet allows your plantar fascia to heal.

When you let your plantar fascia rest, the inflammation goes down, and your pain goes away. The amount of time you need to rest varies, depending on the severity of your condition.

Suppose these conditions aren't enough to get your pain under control. In that case, our team may recommend other treatments like steroid injections, orthotics, or surgery to relieve your discomfort.

If you're tired of dealing with exercised-induced heel pain, don't hesitate to call our office in Daly City, California, today or book a consultation online.