Heel / achilles pain during and after longer walks

[CopperBolt]

Hi all
getting on a bit now, 60.
Always liked getting out for a 2 -4 mile walk at the weekend. Am finding now my heels get tender on the way round and when Ive got home and been sat for a while they are quite tender when getting up to go anywhere. Kettle for instance.
I have a bit of arthritis in neck and wrist but I think this is only in joints you get it and this is not in my ankle.

Wondering if its just old age, suck it up mate, or achilles issues or what?

Anyone else get similar?

Have a docs appt this week so I'll mention it then anyway.

Thanks

[Mr.Chips]

Have a Google of the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. I suffered from it for over 20 years. Tried everything from special insoles in shoes to stretching exercises for Achilles tendons. Ultimately, getting a dog and walking at least 3 times a day, covering anywhere between 1 and 10 miles seems to have solved it. Possibly, losing 5 stones during that period may also have helped.

[av185]

Tight calf and hamstrings likely cause together with inappropriate footwear with 'flat' insoles and limited arch support. Yoga and general stretching of back muscles may help.

Improved foot arch support will always help.

Don't over tighten boots either.

Often worse at night when you get out of bed make sure you do stretching exercises before walking to the bathroom otherwise continual tearing of muscle is inevitable prolonging the issue.

PF is very hard to eliminate once established it can take years.

Good luck.

[paul.deitch]

All good advice. I've had it for years and I loved running but it's stopped me a few times for months at a time.....
I think that finally losing a bit of weight has helped.

[CopperBolt]

Thanks all.
I did get a stretch for PF off a physio last year, forgotten what it was but something to do with leaning towards a wall. I should probably have kept doing them even when I thought I was "fixed".
Will mention to Doc this Friday.

[sherman]

Also buy a tennis ball and use it tonassage the underside of your foot.
You can do it whilst watching TV.
Put the ball on the ground and put your bad foot on it . Roll the ball around with your foot in a rotational manner until you get bored/your programme stops.

[av185]

Lunges are beneficial and stretching your big toe foot and calf muscles by pushing your big toe at 90 degrees against e.g. the door bottom with your knee also at 90 degrees and holding for a couple of minutes.

Ankle/foot raises on the staircase step are good too.

Extended periods of sitting results in shortening of the calf and hamstrings muscles further compounding the pf problem often resulting in heel pain.

Sleeping with heavy bedding often results in feet at approaching 180 degrees and developing further shortening of muscles. Some recommend wearing a ski boot to keep the foot at 90 degrees to the leg but this is clearly impractical and cushions raising the bedding is often a better solution and sleeping on your side to keep the foot at 90 degrees.

[The jiffle king]

sherman said:

Also buy a tennis ball and use it tonassage the underside of your foot.
You can do it whilst watching TV.
Put the ball on the ground and put your bad foot on it . Roll the ball around with your foot in a rotational manner until you get bored/your programme stops.

I had PF for a bit and I used a lacrosse ball which is harder and it worked really well. I also used a frozen bottle of water 5 times a day and rolled the foot on it which worked.

[CivicDuties]

I've bought a pair of these for every pair of shoes I have, and it's solved my achilles pain over a couple of weeks.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B093Q74YB2

[redrabbit29]

To add to this post, I had (have) the exact same issues. I am 39, moderately active although very inconsistent. Did triathlons, some half marathons over the years and recently was struggling with heel pain in my left foot. Also had some achilles issues too.

I saw a physio about a different issue who said (with a partial examination) it was likely to be Plantar Fasciatius. I'm not sure if it is to be honest. Who knows, however what helped me was:

• Stretching the calves a lot... I mean a lot
• For example, stepping backwards off a step and letting your heel drop downwards. Hold this stretch for 60 seconds and repeat it 2-3 more times. Do this a few times per day.
• Foam rolling, or using a massage gun or just your hands to try to soften up the calf a bit
• The insoles that another person posted I have bought. I think they've helped, the reviews are excellent and put it this way, they haven't made things worse and for the price it's definitely worth it

• Rolling on a golf ball through the day to really massage the bottom of the feet and stretch them out
• Avoid barefoot in the house, wear flip flops or trainers just as you need some cushioning
• Freeze a bottle of water in the freezer and after exercise, roll your foot back and forth over the frozen bottle for about 30 minutes (taking a short break when your feet need it).

YouTube has millions of videos. It's probably one of the most common issues in the lower legs and feet area.

[av185]

Just one point on flipflops the typically 'flat' flipflops without arch support are one of the worst types of footwear which actually promote PF.

[sherman]

av185 said:

Just one point on flipflops the typically 'flat' flipflops without arch support are one of the worst types of footwear which actually promote PF.

I have Birkenstocks for holidays and household slippers because of PF.

[CopperBolt]

av185 said:

Extended periods of sitting results in shortening of the calf and hamstrings muscles further compounding the pf problem often resulting in heel pain.

This is exactly the issue I reckon. Sat at office desk all day, then on armchair all evening with legs up on a footrest/pouffe thing. I try to walk 30 minutes at lunchtime and at weekends but its not enough I dont think. Will try to up my game stretching wise and maybe use a ball on the foot/feet under my desk at work

[redrabbit29]

av185 said:

Just one point on flipflops the typically 'flat' flipflops without arch support are one of the worst types of footwear which actually promote PF.

Yea I think that's correct. My "flipflops" are just padded and more cushioned. They're nothing special but they're not your standard flat flipflops which wouldn't be good for PF.

CopperBolt said:

This is exactly the issue I reckon. Sat at office desk all day, then on armchair all evening with legs up on a footrest/pouffe thing. I try to walk 30 minutes at lunchtime and at weekends but its not enough I dont think. Will try to up my game stretching wise and maybe use a ball on the foot/feet under my desk at work

Yep, same with me.

I work from home and sat down all day. After a period of not running or really trying that much, I felt my entire body was just stiff and uncomfortable. I think this caused my entire hip area, my hamstrings, my glutes, my calves, everywhere to just seize up.

For about two weeks, I dedicated a huge amount of time to stretching. I followed some amazing videos on YouTube which were really deep stretches and I felt like a new person after.

I am trying to make an effort to continiue with some of this and also use my standing desk a lot more.