Summer Ends, Heel Pain Begins

It's a common occurrence in podiatry practices every September: we will get a multitude of phone calls of patients calling because they have foot pain. It's so common that we can often pinpoint exactly when the phone calls are going to start poring in- right after Labor Day.
What people are experiencing is not just average foot pain, it's heel pain, or plantar fasciitis. And the reason they are having such difficulties in the month of September is because their feet are shocked into wearing actual shoes. Think about it: people will spend their entire summers in flop-flops, sandals, and the like. All of these shoes are flimsy, floppy, and unsupportive. So when you've been walking around in unsupportive shoes, what do you think happens? You feet become used to these shoes, your gait changes, and problems are bound to arise.
When people switch back to shoes that have more structure and are more supportive, their feet cry out in pain! Your feet are not used to structure and support and the problems that were lurking are now coming out. It's like when you haven't gone to the gym in a while and overdo it when you go back- your muscles ache.
Heel pain is the most common complaint from summer shoe wearers because of the shoe's inherent design. Your feet need support when walking and running, and that support comes from shoes. Without proper support, your feet pronate in or supinate out, your arches begin to collapse, and there is pressure on the wrong parts of the foot. With flip-flops, your feet struggle to keep the shoes on your feet, causing an unnatural gripping. That flip-flop sound is the shoes pounding against your heels. No wonder people get heel pain!
So what can you do if you're having heel pain in the fall? First, stop wearing unsupportive shoes. You are not doing your feet any justice by wearing flimsy shoes. If it means spending a little more on fewer pairs of shoes, then do so. Second, call a podiatrist for an appointment. We are able to treat your heel pain conservatively and effectively with stretching, orthotics, shoe recommendations, and sometimes injections. Surgery is rarely required for heel pain sufferers.
Next summer remember: if you want to wear flip-flops and unsupportive shoes, think of the pain you went through in the fall. You may just reconsider!

If you are experiencing heel pain, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, follow my tweets on Twitter, and friend or like our page on Facebook.

Related articles

• If Dr. Oz Says It... Flip-Flops Cause Plantar Fasciitis
• Treating Heel Pain
• Heel Pain in Women