The sprinting, jumping and sudden stops in football put significant stress on your foot, including your heel. Plantar fasciitis, a muscle strain and a bruised heel are injuries that may cause heel pain. The treatment typically includes ice, over-the-counter pain medications and stretching. When you suffer from heel pain, you may also need to modify your workouts and change your footwear to help alleviate your pain. If pain persists or worsens, consult your physician.
Causes and Risk Factors
Football is a high impact sport, and overtraining may cause irritation or injury to your muscles, ligaments and tendons around your heel, leading to heel pain. Injuries include plantar fasciitis, a heel spur, muscle strain, Achilles tendonitis, bursitis and a bruised heel. Improper or worn footwear or cleats, flat or high arches and poor flexibility may increase your risk of experiencing heel pain. For example, poorly fitted cleats may rub around the heel, causing inflammation and blisters.
Treatment
Stop all activities that cause you pain, ice your heel and take over-the-counter pain medication to decrease inflammation and pain. With plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis, light stretching of the foot, ankle and calf may also help decrease heel pain. After the first 48 to 72 hours, use heat and massage your heel to promote healing. If pain does not subside within three to seven days, you may need physical therapy and in severe cases immobilization or surgery before you can return to football and normal activities.
Exercise Modifications
To prevent further injury, you should not play in any football games or scrimmages until you are healed and pain-free. On the other hand, your coach or athletic trainer may allow you to participate in practices, but with limitations. For example, you may be able to participate in certain low impact drills, but not in agility exercises and scrimmages. Cross-training or alternative exercises, which may include cycling on a stationary bike, swimming and aqua jogging, may also help maintain your fitness level while you heal.
Footwear
Your cleats or footwear play a major role in your foot health and performance. If your cleats do not support and cushion your foot, you may increase your risk of heel pain. Therefore, replace your old worn cleats with new ones and wear custom orthotics or heel cups, which provide extra support and cushion. When you get fitted for new shoes or cleats, bring your orthotics or heel cups to ensure you get the appropriate shoe size. When you choose your shoes, the type of surfaces you play on, turf or grass, and your foot-type should be taken into consideration as well. Wear molded or detachable cleats for grass surfaces and turf shoes, which do not have cleats, when you play on turf. Other important shoe characteristics include the width of the toe box; the number and location of the cleats; and shoe flexibility or stiffness. Most importantly, your cleats or turf shoes should be comfortable.
