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Even though our feet are small, they play a crucial role in supporting our body weight. The Achilles tendon and heel connect the calves to the heels and feet, helping distribute that weight through the bones and tendons in the feet.
It’s no wonder our feet feel tired after long walks—they’re carrying our entire body! If you do a lot of walking or running, you might experience pain in your tendons, ankles, and heels. Persistent or severe pain in these areas often indicates the need to consult with clinics that specialize in Heel and Arch Pain and other foot issues.
Foot and ankle pain can stem from many causes, such as overdoing exercises or straining tendons or ligaments. Sometimes, this pain can even be connected to knee issues.
Here are some common causes of foot and ankle pain:
Plantar Fasciitis: This type of pain is typically felt in the heel and foot arch. It’s usually caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, the soft tissue found on the underside of the foot.
Achilles Tendonitis: This pain is felt at the back of the ankle when the Achilles tendon is injured. The Achilles tendon connects the heel bone to the calf muscles.
Ankle Sprains: Sprains occur when the ligaments supporting the ankle are strained or damaged. These ligaments connect the bones of the foot and help support weight.
To reduce foot pain, you can do several exercises:
1. Stretching Exercise: Stretch the parts of your feet where you feel pain. This can help ease discomfort in the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. Use a towel to wrap around the ball of your foot, pull it towards your body, keep your knee straight, and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other foot.
2. Toe Stretch: Start with heels firmly on the floor. Point your toes up, then bend them down to touch the floor. Hold, relax, then point your toes up again and hold. Repeat five times.
3. Big Toe Stretch: With heels on the floor, lift your big toes while keeping other toes grounded. Hold for a few seconds to feel the stretch, then relax. Repeat five times.
4. Roll Exercise: Place your foot on a can or cylindrical object. Roll the arch of your foot against it for a few minutes to relieve plantar fascia pain.
5. Towel Pickup: While seated, place a towel in front of you. Use your toes to pick up the towel from the ground. Repeat 10-20 times to alleviate Achilles heel pain.
6. Heel Raises: Sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor. Raise your heels and hold for a few seconds, then lower them. Next, raise all your toes, keeping your heels on the ground. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat.
7. Wall Stretch: Stand facing a wall, place one foot in front of the other about 30 cm from the wall. Plant your back heel on the floor, keep your back knee straight, and bend your front knee towards the wall. You should feel a stretch in your calf. Hold for a few seconds and repeat ten times.
Foot pain can have various causes, including strain or pressure on the ankles and heels. However, you can alleviate some of the discomfort with simple exercises. You don’t need fancy equipment—just a chair, a towel, and some cans or rollers.
There are many reasons why people experience pain in their feet, but with some straightforward exercises, you can ease the discomfort. These exercises are simple and require minimal equipment, making them easy to do at home.