How to Ease Heel Pain: What Works at Home and When to See a GP

by YDA UK

Most heel pain eases with a few weeks of sensible self-care: resting the foot, icing it, stretching the calf and the sole, and swapping flat, thin or unsupportive shoes for wide, cushioned ones. The NHS advice on heel pain starts in exactly that place. This guide sets out what to do, in what order, how to do the stretches properly, and the point at which home treatment stops being enough.

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TL;DR

  • Rest and raise the foot when you can, and put an ice pack wrapped in a towel on the heel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
  • Stretch your calf and the sole of your foot daily, especially before your first steps in the morning.
  • Wear wide, comfortable shoes with a low heel and a soft sole, and avoid walking barefoot on hard floors.
  • See a GP if the pain has not improved after 2 weeks of home treatment, and call NHS 111 for severe pain after an injury or if you cannot walk.
  • If you have diabetes, see a GP about any foot pain rather than treating it yourself first.

Table of Contents

First, work out where it hurts

The fix depends on the cause, and the location of the pain is the best clue you have before seeing anyone. According to Mayo Clinic, heel pain is most commonly caused by plantar fasciitis, which affects the bottom of the heel, or Achilles tendinitis, which affects the back of it. Less common causes include stress fractures, bursitis, arthritis and nerve entrapment.

A rough guide:

Where you feel it What it often points to Typical pattern
Underneath the heel, sometimes into the arch Plantar fasciitis Sharp on the first steps after rest, often easing as you move
Back of the heel, above the bone Achilles tendon problem Tender or stiff along the tendon, worse with running or hills
Deep in the heel after an injury or a big jump in activity Possible stress fracture Pain that builds with weight-bearing and does not settle with rest
Heel with tingling or numbness Possible nerve involvement Burning, pins and needles or numbness
Heel with joint swelling elsewhere Inflammatory arthritis or gout MedlinePlus notes that rheumatoid arthritis and gout can lead to heel problems

This table is a prompt for sensible questions, not a diagnosis. If the pattern does not fit, or you are unsure, a GP or a podiatrist can examine the foot and tell you which it is.

Some things make heel pain more likely. Cleveland Clinic lists being overweight, having flat feet or high arches, and spending long periods standing on hard surfaces such as concrete. If your job or your routine ticks one of those boxes, the footwear and activity sections below matter even more.

The first 48 hours: rest, raise, ice

When the pain is fresh, the aim is to calm the heel down rather than push through.

  1. Rest and raise the heel when you can. Sit with your foot up on a stool or the sofa arm rather than standing through the evening.
  2. Ice it. The NHS suggests an ice pack, or a bag of frozen peas, wrapped in a towel and held on the heel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. The towel matters: NHS inform notes that a barrier protects the skin from an ice burn.
  3. Consider a painkiller. The NHS lists paracetamol or ibuprofen as options to ease heel pain. Follow the leaflet, and ask a pharmacist if you have asthma, stomach problems, kidney disease or take other medicines, because ibuprofen is not suitable for everyone.
  4. Cut back what hurts. Shorten long walks and runs for a while. You do not need to stop moving altogether, but you should stop doing the thing that makes it flare.

Ice takes the edge off. It does not fix the underlying strain, which is why the next steps matter more over the following weeks.

Stretches that ease heel pain

For the common bottom-of-the-heel type of pain, gentle stretching of the calf and the sole is the staple of home treatment. The routine below follows the exercises published by NHS Ayrshire & Arran podiatrists, who recommend doing the stretch first thing in the morning or after a period of rest, when the tissue is stiffest.

Plantar fascia towel stretch

Sit with your leg out straight. Loop a towel around the ball of the sore foot, keep your heel on the floor, and gently pull the toes and forefoot towards you until you feel a stretch along the sole. Hold it steady rather than bouncing.

Wall calf stretch

Stand facing a wall with your hands on it for support. Step the sore foot back, keep that heel flat on the floor and the knee straight, and lean forward until the calf tightens. The same NHS Ayrshire & Arran page suggests holding for 20 seconds and repeating 3 times, with a short rest between, with or without shoes.

Man demonstrating a supported wall calf stretch

Step calf stretch

Stand on the edge of a stair with the balls of your feet on the step and your hands on the rail. Lower your heels slowly until you feel the calves tighten, then hold. Mayo Clinic-style routines and several NHS pages use holds in the region of 20 to 60 seconds, repeated a handful of times. Start at the short end and build up.

Foot roll

Sit and roll the arch of your foot over a frozen water bottle or a firm ball for a couple of minutes. This combines gentle massage with the cold, and many people find it the easiest to fit in after work.

How hard should you push?

The NHS Ayrshire & Arran guidance gives a useful rule: your symptoms should return to their usual baseline within about 30 minutes of exercising, and you should not have more pain or stiffness lasting beyond 60 minutes the next morning. If a stretch makes things worse, ease off or stop, and ask a GP or physiotherapist about gentler strengthening work instead.

Do the stretches every day, not only on bad days. Heel pain rarely disappears overnight, and consistency over several weeks is what matters.

Footwear: the change that works every step

You cannot rest a heel you stand on all day, so the shoes you wear do much of the work. The NHS advice is to wear wide, comfortable shoes with a low heel and a soft sole, and to avoid high heels, tight pointed shoes, and long periods of walking or standing, particularly barefoot.

In practice, that means checking a few things:

  • Cushioning under the heel. Press your thumb into the heel area of the insole. It should give a little and spring back.
  • A supportive arch. The shoe should not fold in the middle when you twist it. Mayo Clinic says over-the-counter arch supports can help, and that custom-made orthotics are generally not needed for standard heel pain.
  • A low, stable heel. Not completely flat, which can strain the Achilles and calf, and not high.
  • Room for the forefoot. A wide toe box lets the foot spread naturally.
  • Indoor shoes too. Walking barefoot on hard floors at home undoes a lot of the good done outdoors. Keep a pair of supportive slippers or house shoes by the door.

If you have very little natural padding under the heel, the NHS Lothian self-management guide suggests gel heel cushions may help. The same guide advises aiming for a healthy body weight, because extra weight adds pressure and strain to the affected area.

We have written more on the practical side of choosing: our guide to comfortable shoes for plantar fasciitis covers what to look for, and how to buy shoes for foot pain walks through fitting a pair in a shop or online. If you are wondering whether an insert would help, see which types of insoles suit foot pain.

Change what you do, not just what you wear

Shoes and stretches work better when your routine stops re-injuring the heel.

  • Pace your standing. If you work on concrete or tiled floors, build in sit-down breaks and, where you can, stand on a cushioned mat.
  • Swap high-impact exercise for low-impact. The NHS suggests exercise that does not put pressure on the feet, such as swimming, while the heel settles.
  • Return gradually. Go back to running or long walks in small steps. A sudden jump in distance or pace is a common way to set the pain off again.
  • Avoid hard ground when you can. Choose grass, a track or a treadmill over pavement for a few weeks.
  • Keep your weight in check. This is not about blame. It simply lowers the load through the heel with every step.

Our article on what actually relieves foot pain fast and the step-by-step piece on how to help with plantar fasciitis at home go deeper on daily routines.

When the pain seems to come from the nerves

Not all heel pain is mechanical. Burning, tingling or numbness in the heel can mean a nerve is involved, and the American Academy of Family Physicians notes that mechanical causes such as nerve entrapment or stress fractures may need targeted treatment, such as walking boots or orthotics, depending on the diagnosis. That is a job for a clinician, not a stretching routine.

While you wait for an appointment, you can read about other approaches people look into for nerve-related pain, such as Amino Neuro Frequency treatment. Treat any such option as something to discuss with your GP, not a replacement for a diagnosis.

When to see a GP, and when to call NHS 111

Home treatment has limits, and they are worth knowing before you hit them.

See a GP if:

Contact NHS 111 if:

  • you have severe heel pain after an injury
  • you cannot walk
  • the shape of your foot or ankle has changed
  • the pain makes you feel faint, dizzy or sick

Mayo Clinic also says fever, numbness or tingling alongside heel pain need prompt medical attention, as does serious pain with swelling after an injury.

If you have diabetes, the NHS advises seeing a GP about any foot pain, because foot problems can be more serious. Do not wait out two weeks, and do not use hot water bottles or sharp tools on a foot that has reduced feeling. If you have neuropathy, our guide to choosing shoes for neuropathy explains what to look for in a shoe once you have medical advice.

A realistic timeline

Heel pain is often slow. Plenty of people improve over weeks with rest, stretching and better shoes, which is why the NHS sets a 2-week checkpoint rather than expecting a cure in days. Mayo Clinic says to schedule a visit if pain lasts more than a few weeks despite rest and ice. A fair way to judge progress:

  1. Week 1: pain is calmer after ice and rest, and morning steps are still sore.
  2. Week 2: you should feel at least a small improvement. If not, book the GP appointment.
  3. Weeks 3 to 6: stretches are routine, shoes are changed, and good days outnumber bad ones.

If you are improving, keep going with the stretching and the footwear after the pain has gone. Stopping both the moment you feel fine is a common reason for it coming back.

Perspective: shoes should do some of the work for you

We make footwear, so we see this problem from the shoe up. Most people with heel pain are told to rest, but nobody rests from standing at a counter, walking a dog or taking the school run. The shoe is the one piece of equipment that goes with you through every step, so it should be helping, not working against you.

That is the thinking behind our footwear. Our shoes use YDA technology designed to stabilise and assist each step, with the aim of combining foot health, comfort and energy efficiency in a shoe you can wear every day without it looking clinical. You can read how it works on our technology of YDA shoes page.

The honest limit is this: shoes are part of the answer, not the whole answer. They sit alongside stretching, sensible activity and, where needed, a proper diagnosis. If you have diabetes or a foot condition, see your GP or podiatrist first, then choose shoes with that advice in mind.

— Panagiotis

Shoes designed for everyday foot comfort

If you have decided your footwear needs to change, our high performance footwear is built for people who want stylish, comfortable shoes that support foot health. Browse the range for the style that suits your day, and check the product pages for current availability and sizing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the quickest way to get rid of heel pain?

There is rarely a genuinely quick fix, but the fastest sensible route is to rest the heel, ice it for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, and take paracetamol or ibuprofen if suitable for you. Add daily calf and sole stretches and switch to wide, cushioned shoes with a low heel. If it is no better after 2 weeks, see a GP.

What stretches can I do to relieve heel pain?

The calf wall stretch and the plantar fascia towel stretch are the usual starting points. Hold each for about 20 seconds and repeat three times, ideally first thing in the morning. Stop or ease off if a stretch makes the pain worse.

Is it better to rest or keep walking with heel pain?

A mix is best. Rest and raise the foot when you can, and avoid long periods of walking or standing, especially barefoot. Gentle movement and low-impact exercise such as swimming are usually fine, but anything that sharply increases the pain is a signal to stop.

Do I need custom orthotics for heel pain?

Usually not. Mayo Clinic says over-the-counter arch supports can help and that custom-made orthotics are generally not needed for standard heel pain. A podiatrist may suggest them if the cause is more complex or the problem does not settle.

Can heel pain be serious?

Occasionally. Severe pain after an injury, being unable to walk, a change in the shape of the foot, fever, numbness or tingling all need prompt medical attention. In the UK, call NHS 111 if you have any of the more serious signs.

Sources

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