If you suffer from pain or severe tenderness on the bottoms of your heels, you’re in good company. The most common cause of this aching, a condition called plantar fasciitis, will nag about 1 in 10 people in their lifetimes. (Rude.)
Plantar fasciitis strikes when the arch-supporting band of connective tissue along the bottom of your foot (called the plantar fascia) is overstretched and inflamed. This is more likely to happen if you regularly walk, run, or do activities that stress your heels, but there are plenty of other factors that can cause it.
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“Being overweight or obese, standing for prolonged periods of time, and lack of full ankle flexibility can also predispose a person to developing plantar fasciitis,” says John D. Baldea, MD, a family doctor with a specialty in sports medicine who works at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. “People with flat feet or high arches or those who wear improper footwear can also develop plantar fasciitis easier.” (Yep, now’s the time to ditch those flimsy flip-flops and try on these 8 pairs with arch support.)
Once you see a doctor and determine that plantar fasciitis is to blame for your heel pain, you’ll probably be advised to start with a treatment combo like the one Baldea gives his patients in the short-term: rest, stretching and foot exercises, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin or ibuprofen). But there are some other products you can pick up online or at the pharmacy to aid in the healing process. Here, five that may help you find relief:
Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts
For starters, boost arch support with orthotics or more appropriate footwear, Baldea advises. (Time to update your kicks? Check out the .) “I usually recommend patients go to any pharmacy or general store and try the custom-fitted Dr. Scholl's shoe inserts,” says Baldea, who has no financial disclosures with Dr. Scholl’s. “Most stores now have the displays with force-plates that you step on and then it recommends the proper type of orthotic.” (Click here to find a Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit kiosk near you.) Recent studies show over-the-counter foot orthotics are as effective as custom-molded ones, he adds.
You can also try Dr. Scholl’s Pain Relief Orthotics for Plantar Fasciitis (pictured above), which are specifically designed with a reinforced arch and cushy heel to stop pain. Triathletes, walkers, and workers alike review them highly:
“These inserts are the best,” writes one buyer. “I wouldn't know what I would do without them. These are the only ones that I would ever buy because [they] really give with your foot. It's like walking on air.”
Buy now: $15, amazon.com
Dr. Scholl’s Comfort Heel Cushions For Women
Along with some form of arch support, Baldea recommends trying gel cups, which can help center the heel and unload pressure on the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. This pair for women has a tapered design that can fit into all types of shoes, and its massaging gel absorbs shock while you walk to ease heel pain. Better yet, Dr. Scholl’s has a money-back guarantee if they don’t work for you. (Do these 6 stretches to ease your morning foot pain.)
Buy now: $9, amazon.com
Heel That Pain Original Heel Seats
Here’s another heel support option that comes with a Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association, meaning it’s been officially assessed by a committee of podiatrists to ensure it promotes foot health and does what it promises. These flexible but durable seats are designed to lift the plantar fascia into proper alignment and cushion your aching heels from daily impact. And users swear by them: “NEED THESE for my Plantar Fasciitis,” insists one Amazon customer. “Haven’t found anything else that works as well.”
Buy now: $25, amazon.com
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Master of Muscle Mauler Ball
Though a frozen water bottle or golf ball also works, it’s even more convenient to have a massage ball on hand to roll out the stressed bottoms of your feet. (These are the 3 most effective exercises to ease foot pain.) This best-selling one is made from dense rubber, so its spikes won’t bend as you press into it, meaning you’ll get a deep massage that will release tension in the plantar fascia. It also has 4.4 out of 5 stars and hundreds of positive reviews:
“I have very flat feet and [plantar fasciitis], which means my feet are sore just about every night,” one customer writes. “The rubber spikes are awesome! You can locate specific spots instead of just surface area like the golf ball I’ve used in the past.”
Buy now: $10, amazon.com
Runner’s World coach Budd Coates gets you ready for the fall racing season with these tips for kicking plantar fasciitis:
Strassburg Sock
“If patients are not responding to our more traditional conservative therapies, and have tried our prior recommendations for shoe inserts and gel heel cups, I will recommend a plantar fascia night splint or a Strassburg sock,” says Baldea. “These devices are not as well tolerated by many patients, but I have seen good results in some cases.”
Though Baldea did not recommend a specific brand of Strassburg sock, he usually tells patients to Google what it looks like first so they know what to expect. The long sock, to be worn while sleeping, has a strap that extends from the toes to below the knee, where you secure it through a ring to keep your toes pulled slightly up. This position keeps the plantar fascia from contracting while you rest. Strassburg Medical’s Strassburg Sock (pictured above) is an affordable and well-reviewed option:
“I was so skeptical, but this really worked!” writes one wearer. “Yes, it was uncomfortable sometimes, but it was worth it. It took about four weeks to cure my heel pain. Sometimes the elastic around my calf was annoying, and sometimes my toes were really uncomfortable, but I'm glad I pushed through and used it consistently.”
Buy now: $40, amazon.com
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Still in pain?
“For more severe pain that is causing a patient to limp and limit their work or recreational activities, I will recommend a steroid injection to the painful area to calm down inflammation,” Baldea says. “This usually provides at least a few weeks of significant relief, which allows us to make more progress with the patient using conservative therapies.” If basic treatments fail, you may need formal physical therapy.
But here’s some good news: Surgery to release tension in the plantar fascia is rarely needed, Baldea says, adding that “75-80 percent of plantar fasciitis cases will resolve within one year of initial diagnosis.”
The article Got Plantar Fasciitis? These Are The Products That Will Ease Your Pain originally appeared on Prevention.
