Heel pain is affecting individuals' mobility and preventing them from enjoying fun activities. Some days, it feels sharp, while others feel almost like a pinch. Nobody wants to have their feet ache, and massage therapy can help correct such pain. Here, we will learn massage therapy as heel pain treatment. It is applied to address heel pain, especially one known as plantar fasciitis, which most people face at some point in Singapore.
Various reasons may be associated with heel pain. One common cause is plantar fasciitis, where the bottom of your foot has a thick band of tissue called the plantar fascia. It stretches from your heel to your toes. When this band gets hurt or swollen, it causes pain in your heel.
Other reasons for heel pain can include:
- Achilles tendonitis
- Stress fractures
- Heel spurs
- Bursitis
These problems usually cause the same kind of pain. You might feel it when you walk or stand for long hours. But before that, you must determine what is causing the pain. Once you know what's causing the pain, massage therapy would be helpful, especially for cases of plantar fasciitis.
What is Massage Therapy for Heel Pain?
Massaging relieves the heel as it tends to loosen to loosen muscles, thereby moving blood flow. It is a natural form of treatment for heel pain. No medicine or surgery is needed in the process. The massage therapists help you relax the tight muscles of your foot and calf. That eventually takes away the pain.
The people of Singapore make their visits to massage therapy, and a significant number suffer from plantar fasciitis. They not only do that but also incorporate some stretching exercises to have a speedy recovery of the foot.
What happens during massage therapy?
During the massage therapy session, the massage therapist would work all the tensed muscles and tendons to massage and stretch them. If it's heel pain, they focus on three key areas: the calf muscles, plantar fascia, and Achilles tendon. These areas harden and become tender, causing you pain in your heel.
- Calf Muscles: Tight calf muscles pull on the Achilles tendon that then pulls back on the plantar fascia. Massage the calf and this normally relieves your heel.
- Plantar Fascia: If you overwork your foot, plantar fascia gets injured. You should massage the bottom of the foot to enhance blood flow, relieve swelling, and heal better.
- Achilles tendon: This tendon connects your calf with your heel. When it feels stiff, your heel starts to hurt. Massaging it turns the tendon flexible and powerful.
Deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, and myofascial releases are some of the techniques mostly used for Massage therapy on heel pain from plantar fasciitis in Singapore. However, these techniques stretch and relax muscles and tendons where the pain would simply be erased.
Cool Massage Techniques for Heel Pain
Let’s look at some cool massage techniques for heel pain treatment that can make your heel feel better.
1. Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage employs deep pressure to massage out deeper parts of the body's muscles. The therapist presses on sore spots to break down tight knots. In addition, this helps relax muscles and become more flexible.
2. Trigger Point Therapy
These are like tiny knots within your muscles which hurt when you apply a pressure on them. For heel pains, knots could be in the calves and in the feet. Kneading them loosens up the tightness, and so your heel stops aching.
3. Myofascial Release
The fascia is a thin tissue that surrounds your muscles. As soon as the fascia tightens, your muscles feel stiff and painful. In addition, Myofascial release stretches the fascia, and the sensations produced in your foot feel loose and less painful.
How is massage therapy effective in treating heel pain?
Massage therapy has plenty of benefits. For example, it helps in healing your heel faster, and it makes your muscles softer and stretchier. So let's get at some of the ways massage therapy helps:
- Pain Relief: Massage helps blood move through the muscles. Therefore, this takes away swelling and pain.
- Improves Flexibility: Tight muscles and tendons can make it hard to move. Massage stretches these areas, making them more flexible so you can walk without pain.
- Faster Healing: When blood moves better through the muscles, it helps them heal faster. This is super helpful if you have plantar fasciitis and need quick recovery.
- Prevents Future Pain: Regular massages keep your muscles loose and strong. Consequently, this can stop future heel pain from happening.
How Can You Massage Your Own Heel?
If you want to make your heel feel better at home, you can try some easy self-massage techniques. So, they’re quick and fun to do.
1. Rolling a Ball Under Your Foot
Take a tennis ball or any small round object and roll it under your foot. Roll it from your heel to your toes. Moreover, this helps loosen the plantar fascia and brings more blood to your foot.
2. Calf Massage
Your calf muscles can pull on your heel and cause pain. Use your hands or a foam roller to rub your calves. Press gently and move from your ankle to your knee. Ultimately, this helps release tight muscles.
3. Achilles Tendon Massage
Rub your Achilles tendon, which is just above your heel. Press gently with your fingers and rub up and down the length of the tendon. This will loosen the tendon and help your heel feel better.
What Else Can You Do Along with Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy works really well, but you can also try other things to help your heel feel better faster. So, here are some ideas:
- Stretching: It stretches the calf muscles along with the plantar fascia. You can do some basic stretching exercises like calf raises to improve your flexibility.
- Physical Therapy: A physiotherapist may also show you some specific exercises that can make your feet and legs stronger. This also decreases the pressure on your heel.
- Orthotics: Special shoe inserts can give your feet extra support. Additionally, these inserts protect your heels and make walking more comfortable.
- Rest: Give your feet time to rest. Thus, try not to stand for too long or do activities that strain your feet, like running.
When Should You Ask for Professional Help?
Sometimes, the heel pain does not go away even when treated through massages and other treatments done at home. In such a case, if the condition does not fade or worsen, it is time to seek a doctor who can examine your foot and advise you on correcting the problem.
It depends upon the doctor's perception of terrible heel pain, where they may use injections, shockwave therapy, and surgery. However, the treatments need not be extreme, as many require some massage therapy to return to good health.
Heel Pain Treatment in Singapore
There are many choices and locations if you live in Singapore and are experiencing heel pain. Consequently, quite a few clinics offer plantar fasciitis heel pain treatment Singapore, along with massage therapy. So, these types of therapists will help you and assist in healing your foot.
When selecting a therapist, ensure they know how to treat heel pain. They should understand massage techniques that work with plantar fasciitis. Ultimately, you will recover faster if you get good therapist aid and stretching.
The End Note
Overall, heel pain holds you back from doing your favorite things. But you don't have to live with that forever. Natural healing of heel pain may be possible through massage therapy. By rubbing sore muscles, improving blood circulation, and stretching tight tendons, massage helps heal the heel faster and better.
If you are in Singapore and need plantar fasciitis heel pain treatment in Singapore, massage is what you should try. Visiting a therapist or getting a massage at home will help your heel. So, you can easily bring back your active life on the track.
