Annoying arch or heel pain quite often signals the development of common problems such as plantar fascitis (inflammation of the dense tissue in the arch of the foot), heel spurs or achilles tendonitis. This is often brought on by a number of factors which may include improper footwear like high heels, stretching incorrectly or simply lack of stretching which causes tightness in the calf and achilles regions. These problems can be remedied by employing a couple simple solutions.
One should stretch their heelcord before and after exercise or activity. To do this, stand facing a wall with one foot back and the other forward. The rear foot should be positioned facing straight ahead and should be to the inside of the front foot slightly. With the rear leg straight, lean forward until a gentle stretch is felt in the calf. This should be repeated twice on both legs while holding for a count of 30 seconds. A similar stretch is also performed with the same foot positioning except with the rear leg’s knee bent instead of straight. This stretch should be felt lower in the achilles region. These stretches can be performed two to three times per day but never done when your muscles are cold.
Like all stretching, this requires some time and patience on your part before you should experience any noticeable changes.
Steckley is a certified UR Athletic Trainer.
