Exercises For Posterior Heel Pain

Athletes will often experience posterior medial heel pain because of degenerative changes to the plantar fascia, known as plantar fasciopathy. Without a properly functioning plantar fascia, the joints of the big toe, ankle, and hip do not move properly and posterior medial heel pain will develop. Here are three exercises that will help ease your pain:

1. Big toe stretch. Cross your right ankle over your left knee when you are sitting. Take your right big toe and and push it towards your shin. Attempt to push your big toe back into your hand, holding the position for five to seven seconds. Relax and push the toe further back to your shin. Repeat the exercise three to five times and switch legs. 
2. Goblet squat. This squat trains the hip and the ankle to reduce stress on the foot. It will align the arch of the foot and use the muscles of the hip to control foot and ankle actions. Take a kettleball with both hands and hold it at chest level against your body. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointing out. Now shift your weight to the outside of your foot to pop your arch. Squat down, keep the arch in your foot, and return to standing. Repeat up to three set for ten repetitions.
3. One leg lateral anti-rotation press. The hip reduces stress on the posterior medial heel by preventing total collapse of the kinetic chain and the stresses on the body afterwards. Stand with your shoulders perpendicular to a cable column with one foot furthest from the cable column. The cable should be even with your rib cage. Press the cable in front of you and resist the weight pulling you toward the cable column. Do ten repetitions and switch sides. Repeat up to four sets. 

Reference: Livestrong
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 like our page on Facebook.