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Heel pain

Aysen Mustafa

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2018
Three weeks since I finished walking the CF from SJPDP and when I walk barefoot my heels still hurt. Any recommendations! I am flying home tomorrow?
 
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It will take a while. It's now six weeks for me. Although not hurting now but my left heel still at 95 percent.
On one foot or both?
Any problem with tiptoe on each foot?
 
Both feet, I started noticing heel problems by about week 3. I should have bought some gel inserts, although not sure that my Merrells would accommodate them. Tiptoes are ok, I think.
 
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I have no medical training, but you might want to have it checked out. I had to stop a Vdlp years ago because of heel pain. Turns out it was tarsal tunnel (the foot version of carpal tunnel) and I wound up spending months in a walking cast. My podiatrist prescribed silicone orthotics to replace my hard plastic ones for my next camino and since then (10 years ago approximately) I have had no problems. Good luck!
 
A common symptom of Plantars Fasciitis is heel pain. There are other causes, too, like severe bruising to the underlying fascia, or a heel spur, etc.. A Podiatrist can do the differential diagnosis to rule out various other conditions in order to narrow in on the actual cause of that heel pain. Because Plantars Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, I'll repost some information about it, exercises for its prevention and while recovering, and precautions to take. If you decide to try any of the things listed, they should not further aggravate other conditions causing the heel pain, but undertake any exercise with slowness and care, and discontinue if things become worsened.

Top Exercises to Help Avoid Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common type of chronic heel pain. It seems to affect young male athletes and middle-aged obese women more than any other group, but that does not mean other groups are immune to it. The inflamed tissue around the heel seems to cause a stabbing-like sensation, which is worse in the morning. This condition may be prevented, and the following exercises will help you do that.

Arch Stretching
Stretching your arch muscles is not too difficult, but the exercise is a little peculiar. The first thing you need to do is take off your shoes and get barefoot, and then place a towel on the floor. Now, simply place your foot on the towel, and curl your toes to clench the towel. Pull the towel toward you, and that is it. Place the towel in front of you again, and repeat. Be sure to do the same for your other foot.

This exercise is typically suggested by professionals for those who actually have plantar fasciitis already, but it can definitely be helpful to everyone. You should try and do this several times a week, but make sure to not overstretch your feet while you’re doing it.

Calf Strengthening
The calf and the tendons surrounding your heel need to be strengthened. A simple exercise that may help you do this is calf raises. What you want to do is stand straight on level ground. You should be barefooted for best traction, but it is not absolutely necessary. Now, all you have to do is lift your heels off the ground so that you are standing on your toes. Stay in this position as long as you can before returning your heels to the ground, and just repeat this at least nine more times.

Another way to do this exercise that works great is to stand at the edge of a stair or curb. You want your toes to be what keeps you on the stair or curb. Then, raise your heels up so that you are on your “tippy toes” and then back down again, but allow your heels to go lower than your toes past the edge of the stair or curb. This exercise allows for a fuller stretch.

Alleviate Pronation
Pronation is a natural part of your foot’s movement. This refers to how the foot rolls and applies pressure when the heel finally hits the ground. Pronation may be normal, but that does not mean the constant shock it receives when you walk or run does not have an effect on it. One way you can alleviate the pressure is to try doming. To do this, just place your foot flat on the ground, and then press your toes on the ground while keeping your heels firmly on the floor. This should create a dome between your heel and toes. Maintain this position for 10 seconds, straighten your foot, and then just start again.

Work the Interossei
The Interossei muscles help support your arch muscles thus preventing this issue. All you have to do is place a large rubber band around your toes for resistance. Then, stretch your toes and hold for 10 seconds. Squeeze your toes for another 10 seconds, and repeat these steps about five to 10 times.

What to Do When Your Feet Are Hurting?
Whether or not you’re at risk of getting Plantar Fasciitis, you’re going to come across a time where you’re feet are going to hurt. Maybe you were standing all day at work, ran a marathon, or whatever. If your feet are hurting, take a break and rest, stretch, and recover. Get off your feet for a little bit and either ice or heat your feet. If you notice any swelling or severe pain, then ice it. If it’s just sore, then apply heat with a hot bath. Then, make sure to rub out the tension and to do some basic exercises. You can try the ones above or do some other types. One popular one is to roll a tennis ball underneath the feet. This helps to preserve the arch and massage it at the same time.
 
A common symptom of Plantars Fasciitis is heel pain. There are other causes, too, like severe bruising to the underlying fascia, or a heel spur, etc.. A Podiatrist can do the differential diagnosis to rule out various other conditions in order to narrow in on the actual cause of that heel pain. Because Plantars Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, I'll repost some information about it, exercises for its prevention and while recovering, and precautions to take. If you decide to try any of the things listed, they should not further aggravate other conditions causing the heel pain, but undertake any exercise with slowness and care, and discontinue if things become worsened.

Top Exercises to Help Avoid Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common type of chronic heel pain. It seems to affect young male athletes and middle-aged obese women more than any other group, but that does not mean other groups are immune to it. The inflamed tissue around the heel seems to cause a stabbing-like sensation, which is worse in the morning. This condition may be prevented, and the following exercises will help you do that.

Arch Stretching
Stretching your arch muscles is not too difficult, but the exercise is a little peculiar. The first thing you need to do is take off your shoes and get barefoot, and then place a towel on the floor. Now, simply place your foot on the towel, and curl your toes to clench the towel. Pull the towel toward you, and that is it. Place the towel in front of you again, and repeat. Be sure to do the same for your other foot.

This exercise is typically suggested by professionals for those who actually have plantar fasciitis already, but it can definitely be helpful to everyone. You should try and do this several times a week, but make sure to not overstretch your feet while you’re doing it.

Calf Strengthening
The calf and the tendons surrounding your heel need to be strengthened. A simple exercise that may help you do this is calf raises. What you want to do is stand straight on level ground. You should be barefooted for best traction, but it is not absolutely necessary. Now, all you have to do is lift your heels off the ground so that you are standing on your toes. Stay in this position as long as you can before returning your heels to the ground, and just repeat this at least nine more times.

Another way to do this exercise that works great is to stand at the edge of a stair or curb. You want your toes to be what keeps you on the stair or curb. Then, raise your heels up so that you are on your “tippy toes” and then back down again, but allow your heels to go lower than your toes past the edge of the stair or curb. This exercise allows for a fuller stretch.

Alleviate Pronation
Pronation is a natural part of your foot’s movement. This refers to how the foot rolls and applies pressure when the heel finally hits the ground. Pronation may be normal, but that does not mean the constant shock it receives when you walk or run does not have an effect on it. One way you can alleviate the pressure is to try doming. To do this, just place your foot flat on the ground, and then press your toes on the ground while keeping your heels firmly on the floor. This should create a dome between your heel and toes. Maintain this position for 10 seconds, straighten your foot, and then just start again.

Work the Interossei
The Interossei muscles help support your arch muscles thus preventing this issue. All you have to do is place a large rubber band around your toes for resistance. Then, stretch your toes and hold for 10 seconds. Squeeze your toes for another 10 seconds, and repeat these steps about five to 10 times.

What to Do When Your Feet Are Hurting?
Whether or not you’re at risk of getting Plantar Fasciitis, you’re going to come across a time where you’re feet are going to hurt. Maybe you were standing all day at work, ran a marathon, or whatever. If your feet are hurting, take a break and rest, stretch, and recover. Get off your feet for a little bit and either ice or heat your feet. If you notice any swelling or severe pain, then ice it. If it’s just sore, then apply heat with a hot bath. Then, make sure to rub out the tension and to do some basic exercises. You can try the ones above or do some other types. One popular one is to roll a tennis ball underneath the feet. This helps to preserve the arch and massage it at the same time.
Thank you, I suspected I had a mild case of plantar fasciitis before I started and I stupidly didn't do exercises along the way.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I have no medical training, but you might want to have it checked out. I had to stop a Vdlp years ago because of heel pain. Turns out it was tarsal tunnel (the foot version of carpal tunnel) and I wound up spending months in a walking cast. My podiatrist prescribed silicone orthotics to replace my hard plastic ones for my next camino and since then (10 years ago approximately) I have had no problems. Good luck!
Will practise some plantar fasciitis exercises and if not improved see a podiatrist. Thank you for your post.
 
Thank you, I suspected I had a mild case of plantar fasciitis before I started and I stupidly didn't do exercises along the way.

Hi, Aysen....
There is a two-stage process when someone is diagnosed with Plantars Fasciitis. Someone with Plantars Fasciitis has an inflammation of a tissue band -- the thick Plantar Fascia -- running across the bottom of the foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes (plantar fascia). So the first thing to do is to deal with the inflammation.

It is important that the inflammation be given a chance to subside. During this phase, using ice, anti-inflammatories, gentle massage, and giving the feet a good amount of rest are going to be helpful.

Use an ice pack and place it at the area where you feel the discomfort. Doing this for 15 to 20 minutes, four times a day and after you've been active on your feet will help. Be sure to use a cloth to provide insulation from direct skin contact with the ice, though. You can also do ice massaging by freezing water in a roundish shape. Something like a small, plastic pop bottle, or an ice ball mold. Roll your foot over it at the site of pain for about 5 to 8 minutes. This can help reduce pain and inflammation when it is done on a regular basis.

With the use of any over-the-counter medications, follow the directions and tell your doctor what you are taking when you see him/her to look at your foot.

Slowly introduce the exercises I made mention of in my post above after you have given the inflammation a chance to subside a bit. You do not want to aggravate the inflammation, so be careful. In this case going slower means recovery is faster. :)

Normally, it can take up to several months for Plantars to subside. Given that timeline, I would definitely want to have a doctor do a workup in case more aggressive treatment is needed in case the self treatments are not helping.
 
I know this might sound obvious to many. But, it may come as a surprise and welcome information to some.

When you obtain new or different insoles; gel, foam, custom-made prescription orthotics, etc., do not forget that to install the new or replacement insoles, you must FIRST remove the insole currently in the shoe or boot. Most are held in by friction. Some are held in with Velcro. However, there are still some original insoles that are glued in at the factory.

Like I said, this seems obvious, but may come as a revelation to some...just sayin. Nothing negative is inferred.

Hope this helps.
 
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Bummer, and painful, but usually treatable. I had no plantar fascitus the entire camino until arriving in Santiago. 'Woke up the next morning and my heel was killing me. Hobbled down to get my Compostella, and used the Compostella tube to roll my foot on to stretch it out and in a few days was pretty much back to normal! 'A post pilgrimage small miracle! :)
 
Three weeks since I finished walking the CF from SJPDP and when I walk barefoot my heels still hurt. Any recommendations! I am flying home tomorrow?
Just finished 434 km of the CF two days ago. Left heel hurting. If Plantar's Fasciitis, don't go barefoot per my daughter's podiatrist and physical therapist. I moved my inserts from my boots to the Merrell shoes I am wearing this week while still in Spain before going home. Hope they feel better soon!
 
And stretch your calves, hamstrings and hips. A lot of times, this is where Plantar fasciitis originates (If that’s what it is). It makes sense after doing many days of walking; everything tightens up... but that doesn’t always work well for your feet. Don’t ignore the pain, see your healthcare provider sooner rather than later. I’m sorry I didn’t heed this advice sooner.
 
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thank you all, Do you think that carrying the backpack was a contributing cause. My pack initially weighed 11kgs, I eventually posted 2 kgs to Santiago and got rid of more stuff. However with water I was carrying more than 10% of my body weight. Ps iPad was the main problem.
 

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