What Treats Heel Pain?

Athletic Taping

Athletic taping is a method of taping the feet to stretch them and reduce the pain from plantar fasciitis. There are a few different kinds of tape available that can safely position the feet for moderate lengths of time. One of the most popular is kinesiology tape. To engage in this taping method, individuals will first need to measure how far it is from the back of the heel to the ball of the foot. Individuals should cut the tape into four strips with rounded edges, and then measure how long the ball of their foot is. After, they should cut another four strips and give them rounded edges. Once individuals have these strips, they should lay each one of them flat over the arch of their foot. They should put their second tape strip on the ball of the foot and secure them. Following this, individuals should rub the tape with the heel of their hand to make sure it's secure. This will cause the plantar fascia to be stretched and supported. With traditional athletic tape, individuals need to wrap the entire foot in place instead.

Cortisone Injections

If at-home treatments haven't been effective enough at reducing heel pain related to plantar fasciitis, one option a doctor may suggest before surgery is a cortisone injection. Cortisone injections can help relieve inflammation and pain from an overstretched plantar fascia, particularly for those dealing with chronic pain. The body naturally produces cortisone in the adrenal glands as a response to inflammation, allergens, and stress. A corticosteroid injection uses a manmade version of cortisone with the same chemical makeup. It targets a specific portion of the body to reduce a single point of inflammation. The same basic principle applies to the injections as the one that allows ibuprofen to relieve pain, but the medication is administered in a targeted and localized manner. When treating plantar fasciitis, the injection will generally be given at the point on the foot experiencing the most pain. Doctors usually administer the injection through the inner portion of the foot, since puncturing the heel has the potential to damage the bone and other important internal structures.