Heel Pain In The Morning – Why Is It Worse And What Can You Do?

22 December 2015 | John

Heel pain can be enough to keep you off your feet all day. But why is heel pain always worse in the morning or after rest? And what can you do to help it?

Why Is Heel Pain Always Worse In The Morning?

Heel pain is worse in the morning because of what causes heel pain. One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. This is where your plantar fascia – the tendon running along the sole of your foot and which connects your heel and your toes – becomes damaged and inflamed. This usually happens as a result of constant stress to the tissue, for example staying on your feet a lot throughout the day.

During the night, this tissue becomes rigid because it isn’t being stretched or flexed. This is why when you start to walk around in the morning the pain starts begins to lessen.

What Can I Do I To Reduce Heel Pain In The Morning?

One of the most immediate things you can do to reduce heel pain in the morning is to do some heel pain exercise. These are exercises which have been designed to stretch the tissues, to make them more flexible and help reduce the pain they can cause.

One of the simplest and most effective heel pain exercises you can do to reduce heel pain in the morning is an exercise for the morning. Keep a long towel beside your bed, and do this exercise every morning when you wake up and before you step out of bed.

Loop the towel around your foot
Use the towel to pull your toes towards your body
Ensure your knee stays straight
Repeat three times per foot

This will help to loosen up your plantar fascia and works to prevent those painful first steps in the morning.

What Else Can I Do To Reduce Heel Pain In The Morning?

Another way you can reduce heel pain in the morning is to never walk barefoot, as this puts the most strain on your rigid plantar fascia and causes the most pain. Instead, put your feet into some shoes as soon as you wake up. This will help to reduce the strain, and therefore reduce the pain.

For best effects, put your feet into shoes which have shoe insoles for heel pain. These insoles reduce the stress your heel takes even more than a pair of shoes alone would. They do this by providing extra cushioning and stabilisation to the heel, reducing strain and redistributing pressure throughout the foot.

If you’re interested in getting your hands on some insoles for heel pain, head on over to Shoe Insoles and check out our range of Insoles for Heel Pain.