Heel Pain

[peetee]

I work at home in a separate building where the floor can get dirty. I stand for the vast majority of my working day and because I need to move in and out of the house freely I have taken to wearing slip-on Crocs but I have been suffering heel pain for a number of months. The symptoms are similar to Plantar Faciitus but is concentrated and the rear of the heel bed. I believe it is due to the comparatively low shoe heel causing my weight to shift away from the ball of my foot to my heels. I have made the assumption that shoe inserts would 'wander' in slip-on shoes. I do the recommended stretching exercises which help but I have always been a relatively flexible person and often reach the limits of my joints before the muscles are taxed. so the problem persisits.
Can anyone recommend some relief and/or a slip-on shoe that has a reasonable heel height?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Opposite!
Your weight is shifted onto your balls and hence your Achilles is being constantly loaded, hence the heel pain.
I have suffered from this when holding my weight on my mid soles on a ladder with poor supporting shoes.
They were actually walking shoes but tough boots would be better here.

You need rigid soled shoes that give good support for whole of foot, like walking shoes NOT trainers.
With good footbeds.

I can understand that you don't want to trap dirt into house but you will either have to change foot wear / remove shoes or carpit the house where you walk in with removable old carpit?
We did this with dogs to cut down the mud in house.

NHS Physiotherapist (if you have already visited in the past then self refer on the net, my local NHS guarantees two days waiting!)
will give you correct diagnosis and advice.
Good luck.

P.S. Do you bend down a lot whilst working? Crouching?

[nez]

As a youngster I worked in a car factory where we had to wear clogs because of the dangerous swarf - it lay around on the ground like ribbons.they are very comfortable and supportive and of course easy to slip out of.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Slip on Crocs, They are really for occasional use I would of thought?
It also possible that the OP is doing something in their daily work which is affecting the feet, like crouching etc?
I suggest the OP sees a physiotherapist.

Its a fallacy to think soft shoes are comfortable, the opposite is true as soft shoes do not support the foot thus leading to pain.

[cotswolds]

What makes you think it isn't plantar fasciitis? This can commonly present as heel pain. A good indicator is that if after sitting, you get a sharp pain with your first step which becomes more bearable.

On the practical side of holding an insert in place, double-sided tape should cope with the forces involved.

I think the technical term for what you need to do is "offload the plantar fascia". I tried googling that and found this https://www.podiatrytoday.com/article/4736 which is well into the realms of TLDR. Second attempt found this https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/health/injury/ask-the-podiatrist-how-can-i-treat-persistent-plantar-fasciitis which is more accessible. Part of the second paragraph seems particularly relevant:

A temporary taping technique... can be used for rapid offloading of force in the plantar fascia. This can be used... if you are going to spend a long time on your feet (a potential cause of plantar fasciitis).

A physio might help, but it's a complicated subject and the right specialism is a podiatrist. I think in a few places you can self-refer to NHS podiatry, otherwise it's through your GP.

As quick self help, Boots sell a good range of orthoses. Something taped in your shoe to raise the heel might be worth trying - it can be surprising how little you need to do to make a difference.

[samby5]

Here is an idea...you might find a pair of heel lifts useful. You can fit them inside any shoes to make to increase the heel height. Worked wonders when I had Achilles tendinitis. Don't know what they would be like for plantar fasciitis though.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20354846