The Cause of Heel Pain

Whether you're a corporate executive or a stay at home mom who enjoys going for an afternoon jog, heel pain can be a worrisome and painful nuisance for those of us with busy, on-the-go lives. This is a common ailment that affects 1 in 10 individuals at some point during their life. Heel pain is not only annoying but can lead to other chronic ailments such as heel spurs and tendonitis if not treated.

There are many causes of heel pain. Anything from weight gain to unsupported arches can cause a flare-up. One underlying cause of heel pain, whatever the scenario, is over pronation of the foot. Over pronation, put simply, is when the foot rolls inward while walking or running. This action places extra pressure on your arches and strains the ligament and tissue that stretch underneath the foot. This is caused by poor alignment of the bones of the foot due to a lack of support. Excessive wear on the inside portion of an individual's shoe soles is a tell-tale sign of over pronation. While this may sound like a complicated issue it can be easily prevented by ensuring proper alignment of the foot.

Heel pain can dampen anyone's day and while it is worst after periods of inactivity it generally subsides with activity. Most people describe heel pain as a sharp burning sensation that is usually worse after periods of inactivity. Heel pain is generally caused by Plantar Fasciitis. The plantar fascia is the main ligament that runs underneath your foot. Imagine a thick rubber band attached to your heel that is stretched under your foot and connected to the ball of your foot just behind your toes. This keeps your foot aligned and supports the foot's arch and surrounding muscles. When the ligament and surrounding tissue become irritated, inflamed or overworked heel pain is the result. There are many things that can lead to heel pain including vigorous exercise, being on your feet many hours a day, weight gain, or excessively low or high arches without proper support.

The easiest way to prevent heel pain is with the use of orthotics. Docpods Orthotics provide a way to properly align and provide support to the arch of the foot. This also prevents over stretching and reduces strain on the plantar fascia thus alleviating pain. Docpods are functional and efficient in providing the much needed support that active feet need.

Whether you prefer high heels, running shoes or boots, Docpods has orthotics to suit almost any need. They even offer a line of children's orthotics for your active youngsters.