If you’re experiencing heel pain frequently while also suffering from diabetes, don’t be surprised, as heel pain and diabetes often go hand-in-hand. Luckily you can take a wide range of steps to alleviate the pain you are feeling.
This article will delve deeper into the causes of diabetic heel pain.
What is diabetic heel pain?
Heel pain is one of the plantar fasciitis symptoms and is a common condition among people with diabetes. There’s a high correlation between plantar fasciitis and type 2 diabetes.
One of the primary symptoms is a pain in the back of the heel, especially when standing up after you wake up in the morning. The pain, unfortunately, may re-occur throughout the day.
The pain occurs because of inflammation in the tissue under your foot.
What causes diabetic heel pain?
Plantar fasciitis causes can be attributed to several factors, including:
- age
- diabetes
- prior foot conditions
- obesity
- standing for extended periods
- not having the proper equipment/poor form when exercising
Most commonly, people between the ages of 40 and 50 can experience the symptoms of this condition.
For people suffering from diabetes, usually, there is an increase in plantar fascia thickness.
Some foot conditions, such as flat feet or high arch, can be attributed to heel pain.
In the majority of cases, the primary cause is pressure against the heel. There’s too much pressure on the foot, which results in heel pain.
What does diabetic foot pain feel like?
Diabetic foot pain hits the back heel of your foot. People experience it after waking up, standing or sitting for long periods. A stabbing pain goes up to the ankle with some stiffness as well.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you should reach out to a doctor and have your foot checked.
How to get diabetic heel pain relief?
There are numerous ways to get heel pain relief. Some of them are immediate treatments, while others are lifestyle changes that will alleviate the symptoms over time.
These treatments & lifestyle changes may include:
1) Body weight
Be mindful of what you are placing into your body; everything you digest is treated as fuel for your body. With a well-balanced diet, you can monitor your blood sugar levels while still losing weight.
Lowering your body weight will reduce pressure on your foot. This will result in less pain long term.
2) Regular exercise
Exercising regularly will increase your metabolism and is used as a tool for weight management. Regular exercise will also strengthen muscles and ligaments around your ankle and feet. Having healthier calves will also lower your heel pain.
A suggested first step is to start walking three to four times per week. The ligaments and muscles will strengthen over time as your frequency increases.
3) Visit a foot doctor
Visit a foot doctor. A specialist might suggest specific shoes or different types of orthoses as a solution.
For example, wearing a night splint might help to lower the pain.
4) Make changes to your work routine
Are you someone who spends a lot of time standing or sitting? Remember to take a break and include more movement into your regimen. Taking a couple of minutes to take a break from your regular position will help reduce the pain.
5) Get high-quality diabetic socks
Diabetic socks are great for many reasons, besides being made from high-quality materials such as bamboo, which keeps your feet free of excessive moisture.
Diabetic socks from Viasox have extra padding as well. It’ll relieve the weight on your feet, reducing heel pain.
6) Consider different treatment options
If you are interested in treatments, consider:
- medication
- steroid injections
- physical therapy
- shock wave therapy
- surgery
Before starting any medication, consult your doctor first.
According to Mayoclinic, ibuprofen naproxen sodium can help with pain and reduce inflammation.
If your pain is severe, a steroid injection is an option to alleviate the pain immediately.
Physical therapy is a great way to learn what stretches you should do to improve your leg muscles.
Shock wave therapy will stimulate your heel to start healing. This is done by using low-frequency sound waves to stimulate the targeted area.
If all the other methods fail, surgery is necessary. The procedure will detach your plantar fascia away from your heel bone.
7) Stretching often
Besides actively working out, another way to strengthen your leg muscles and ligaments is through stretching.
Take a couple of minutes to do it, and it will help with reducing your heel pain.
Try out the Viasox product range.
Please take a look at our broad collection of diabetic socks to see your options. You can see customer reviews. Many of them have shared how our fancy diabetic socks have helped alleviate pain in their legs.
Feel free to contact us if you want to learn more about our diabetic socks.
