Heal your heel!

Our heel is attached to the front of the foot by a number of strong ligaments which run between the front parts of the heel bone. The strongest ligament is the plantar fascia, which attaches the heel to the toes and helps to balance various parts of the foot as you walk. It, therefore, takes a lot of stress.

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that starts off with heel pain and may create severe complications. Experts recommend paying adequate attention to healing the heel.

Try not to cumbersome your foot constantly on hard surfaces and make sure your footwear has padding or can absorb shock in the heel. Stretching exercises may also help cure and heel pain but one should take professional advice if the pain becomes unbearable.

Orthopedic Surgeon of Aakash Healthcare Super Specialty Hospital, Dr Aashish Chaudhry said, "There are some tests one should opt for; it helps in ruling out other problems. There are some problems too which may look like heel spurs but tests can actually help in diagnosing them. You can take pain-killers such as paracetamol or anti-inflammatory medicines in an emergency case and will help reduce the temporary pain. If you do start feeling pain, see a specialist right away."

Joint Reconstruction and Spine Surgery, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, Dr. Vivek Mittal, said, "Resistant cases may require surgery though rate is very less. Minimally invasive surgeries include Percutaneous partial fasciotomy, Cryosurgery, and Bipolar radio-frequency micro-debridement. Open fasciotomy or plantar fascia release."

Preventive strategies involve maintaining a healthy weight, choosing supportive shoes, changing to a low-impact sport and simple home foot exercises.