Rest can only take you so far. Sometimes treating heel pain requires an extra step. We’ve mapped out some of the best heel pain treatments for achy feet. All of them are easy to do in the comfort of your own home.

Stretching

Tight, sore muscles in your feet create an environment for even more heel pain. Stretching is the easiest way to relieve stress in feet and ease pain immediately. Adding some stretching into your daily routine also comes with a ton of other benefits! Stretching can improve performance when exercising, decrease your risk of injuries, help your muscles work more efficiently and increase your range of motion. Here are a few of our favorite stretches:

Towel Grab

Overnight, your feet can cramp up and contract, this stretch helps to relieve that cramping and wake your feet up.  To perform this stretch, place a towel or pillowcase flat on the floor. Next, put your feet at the edge of the towel and using your toes grab the towel and pull it towards you.

Ball Rolling

Ball rolling is perfect for anyone suffering from plantar fasciitis, but can help anyone who’s dealing with foot pain and looking for relief.  The stretch is as simple as you can get! Place a ball, water bottle or foam roller on the floor. Place the ball between your foot and heel, rolling it back and forth giving your foot a massage. Use as much pressure as you can tolerate, but be gentle to avoid aggravating sore muscles.

Standing Stretch

The standing stretch can be performed just about any time of day, anywhere you are!  To accomplish this stretch, remove your shoes, then stand with your toes and the ball of your foot elevated against a wall. Next, lean forward with your hips towards the wall, gently stretching the plantar fascia. Click here for more stretches and videos, so you can easily follow along.

Icing the Feet

Ice quickly helps you control inflammation and reduce soreness. You can start with a simple ice massage! Surprisingly a small cup is the easiest way to get started with some ice therapy. Fill a short paper or foam cup, then stick it in the freezer. Once the water is frozen, rub the ice in the bowl in small circles across the painful area. The ice will begin to melt and drip, so make sure you lay a towel underneath you. Try this out for about 10 minutes, rest, then repeat if necessary. An ice bath can be just as effective! Try soaking your feet in ice water for about 20 minutes a day. Ice baths are great after a long day at work or strenuous exercise.

The Healing Sole

The Healing Sole creates an environment for long-term recovery and can be more efficient than invasive surgical treatment, take the doctor’s word for it. The flip-flop was developed and theorized by Meredith Warner, MD. Throughout her time as an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Warner noticed a gap in treatment. She packed the flip-flop with six powerful features that work synergistically to heal the foot. The Healing Sole gently stretches the plantar fascia at the beginning of each step. As your foot pushes off, the rocker bottom sole sways to reduce tension. When your foot meets the ground again, the compressible heel and raised arch absorb the weight of the body. Soft neoprene straps help to hold your foot in place as you move. We’ve equipped the latest version of The Healing Sole with a durable outsole. Now our flip-flops last even longer and can support extended outdoor wear! For more information click below. For more information click below.