Monday, November 28, 2011

Runner’s World Body Breakdowns – Heel pain big part of the list

This past months’ print issue of Runner’s World had an article on common injuries to besiege runners.  If you are not a subscriber, an online version of this article can be found here.  Unsurprising to us is that at least three of these injuries can show up as heel pain.  Whether it is a stress fracture, Achilles tendonitis, or the all too common plantar fasciitis, this article highlights some of the steps you can take to deal with them if they occur. Because it can be difficult to distinguish the bone damage that occurs from a stress fracture from tendon damage, we must recommend you recruit the help of a foot specialist.

Often ‘taking it easy’ or giving yourself a few days of rest can help many mild inflammations, aka ‘itis’.  Beyond this you need to address why the problem occurred in order to prevent it from happening again. In the case of stress fractures which may often require X-ray or CT imaging to verify, you may requires more than a few days of  resting and immobilization to allow for the bone to properly heal.   Resting an injury sound like an easy solution, but even if you slow down or stop your running routine for a few days you still have to continue your daily life.   Honestly, who amongst can afford to stay off our feet for any extended period of time?  Special boots can be used to transfer the pressure and strain on your foot bones and tendons higher up your leg, these specialized boots can effectively rest the injury while keeping you mobile and various modalities can be implemented to help you heal.

If your symptoms worsen or do not get better, it is important that you visit your Austin podiatrist.  A thorough review of your activities, home treatments, symptoms, and foot mechanics can help your doctor to identify and implement ways to correct the problem.  Proper foot wear, warm ups, stretching, and building up to greater distances can all go a long way in preventing heel pain and other running related injuries.  When good prevention fails, it is time to seek out podiatric care…..

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Heel Pain - Getting the proper shock absorption


We talked last month about foot mechanics and how they relate to heel pain. A good orthotic is designed to provide control as your foot moves. Recent online articles, like the one sited below under related articles, try to say that doctors aren't sure why orthotics work. We're not sure what doctors they're talking about because your Austin Foot and Ankle Specialist have extensive training in implementing the right type of orthotic for their patients.  For the patient with plantar fasciitis, the orthotic can help decrease the strain on this ligament and is used in prevention as well as rehabilitation. This article only highlights one area of control that an orthosis offers.



The control custom inserts provide several point of control. A deep heel cup can also help w/ another type of heel pain.  Some heel pain is due to the forces paced on the fat pad beneath your heel. With years of pressure on your heel, this pad can become displaced from proper position.   A good heel cup helps to keep the plantar fat pad under your heel bone in the right place for shock absorption. If you are a heel strike runner, you are putting 4 to 5 times your body weight on you heel every time you strike the ground.  This can be a contributing factor in addition to a number of reasons, including age and foot structure, that cause your fat pad to lack the amount of shock absorption you need.



Many running shoes have quite a bit of cushioning is the heel, but may do so at the expense of flexibility in the sole. The addition of heel pads can be an inexpensive and easy way to add cushion to your favorite running shoe. A cushioning pad placed underneath your orthotic or insole can do wonders to provide the additional absorption you require.   Through our online store, you can purchase Dr. Jill’s Gel Heel pads.  These pads can dissipate the shock of your heel strike, making up for any deficiency in your plantar heel pad.  With proper cushioning you can keep your run free of heel pain!

Related articles

· Some answers about orthotics (eurekalert.org)
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