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Heel pain can stop you in your tracks. And, if left untreated, it can severely limit your ability to lead the active life you want. We’ve consulted the experienced podiatrists in the Vionic Innovation Lab who suggested these six ways to easily treat heel pain. 1. STRETCH YOUR MUSCLES Make sure the calf muscles are stretched daily to relieve strain on the plantar fascia. To stretch your calves and Achilles tendon, stand on the edge of a step, resting your weight on the balls of your feet. Bend your knees for 25 seconds and then straighten. Perform up to five repetitions whenever tightening occurs. 2. ICE AWAY THE PAIN A popular method for relieving heel pain is icing the area under foot. You can roll your foot over a frozen water bottle or apply a cold pack to the bottom of your heel. If you choose a cold pack or ice pack, be sure to put a towel between the pack and your heel to protect the skin from burning. 3. SWITCH UP YOUR ROUTINE Cross-training is an effective way to make sure you’re engaging different muscle groups to avoid muscle fatigue. Switch up your fitness routine to include swimming, riding a bicycle or even specially targeted yoga and Pilates. 4. REST & RELAX Starting a new fitness routine? Doing too much too quickly can exacerbate heel pain, so make sure to slowly increase your physical activity and allow plenty of time for rest and recovery. Also, stay off hard, unnatural surfaces if you are not wearing supportive footwear.  5. ALWAYS WEAR SUPPORTIVE FOOTWEAR You may also be able to make a more active recovery with the assistance of orthopedic shoes or orthotic inserts. These shoes naturally align your feet from the ground up, which may help mitigate the symptoms of heel pain. Vionic offers the first and only sandal proven to effectively alleviate heel pain.* 6. CONSIDER OTHER TREATMENTS For more serious cases of heel pain, your podiatrist may recommend physical therapy, injection therapy, night splints and orthotic devices. In the most extreme cases, surgery may be an option.  About Vionic Footwear Vionic sandals are the first and only sandals proven to effectively alleviate heel pain.* Developed by Phillip Vasyli, renowned Australian podiatrist and founder of Orthaheel® Technology, Vionic shoes help restore natural foot function and relieve heel pain, promoting a more active lifestyle. Vionic’s footwear and orthotic inserts are also endorsed by noted integrative medicine expert, Dr. Andrew Weil. For additional information about Vionic, please visit VionicShoes.com. *Based on a peer-reviewed clinical study funded by Vionic on patients experiencing moderate, non-traumatic heel pain. Read the full study here. |
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