A bruised heel can be quite painful and may make walking or even standing difficult. But what exactly is a bruised heel, and how does one heal from this type of injury? Keep reading to learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for a bruised heel.
What Is a Bruised Heel?
A bruised heel, which is also referred to as a foot pad contusion or a Policeman’s heel, is an injury to the fat pad on the bottom of the heel bone. The fat pad is a cushion of tissue that helps to absorb the impact of each step we take. When this padding is injured, it can cause pain with walking or standing. Repeated heel padding injuries can lead to long-term problems such as chronic pain, loss of feeling in the foot, and even arthritis.
Causes of Bruised Heels
Bruised heels are caused by any type of trauma to the bottom of the foot, such as a fall, sports injury, or car accident. This type of injury can also be caused by wearing shoes that do not fit properly or that do not provide enough support for the feet. People who are overweight or have diabetes are also at an increased risk of developing bruised heels.
Symptoms of Bruised Heels
The most common symptom of a bruised heel is pain in the bottom of the foot that gets worse with activity. Other symptoms may include tenderness, swelling, bruising, and difficulty putting weight on the affected foot. If you experience any of these symptoms after sustaining an injury to your foot, it’s important to see your healthcare practitioner so that you can get an accurate diagnosis and begin treatment as soon as possible.
How to heal a bruised heel
- Treatment for a bruised heel will depend on the severity of your injury. For minor injuries, rest and ice may be all that’s needed to relieve pain and promote healing.
For more comfort, ice your heel. Rather than putting ice directly on your skin, an icing support garment like this is easy to use.
Comfpack Heel Ice Pack for Pain Relief, Hot Cold Therapy
What we love about Comfpack Icer:
- Targeted icer for the heel
- Easy to use with optional compression therapy
- Adjustable compression feature
- Speeds up recovery
- Reduces pain, swelling and inflammation
- One size fits all
- Can be worn on the left or right
- Sealable storage bag included
- Highly rated on Amazon
2. Essential oils
Certain essential oils are excellent for healing bruises on the heel, and all over the body. Essential oils have been used for centuries to treat a variety of health problems. One essential oil that is particularly well-known for its healing properties is lavender. Lavender oil has a unique ability to reduce inflammation and improve blood flow, which makes it an effective treatment for bruises.
To learn more about different essential oils that heal bruises quickly and effectively:
3. Pain relief cream
We choose natural pain relief first before reaching for a pharmaceutical to help give our liver a hand and not overload it with chemicals to filter from the body. Usually, a natural pain reliever in the form of a cream is more than enough to take away the discomfort of a bruised heel. We love this one:
Ebanel Menthol Arnica Gel Pain Relief Cream with Hemp Oil, Emu Oil, MSM, Camphor
Why we love Ebanel Lightening Pain Relief Cream:
- High quality, natural, homeopathic ingredients
- Fast, long-lasting pain relief
- Soothes, reduces inflammation
- Formulated with hemp seed oil, emu oil, Arnica Montana, MSM, vitamins and more
- Improves blood circulation and mobility
- Non-greasy, non-staining
- Free from mineral oil, petroleum, artificial fragrance or harsh chemicals
- Apply as needed, massage thouroughly for 1-2 minutes
- Highly rated on Amazon
Boot, cast or physical therapy
More severe injuries may require immobilization in a boot or cast, physical therapy, and even surgery in some cases. If you think you may have injured your heel, it’s important to see a doctor so that you can get an accurate diagnosis and begin treatment immediately.
If you do need a boot, keep in mind that buying it at the doctor’s office or any specialty location will cost much more. Use the pricing of a quality boot like this to guide you as to if you are paying a fair price, most likely, buying it from your place of choice rather than from the doctor will always save you some money:
NYOrtho Heel Protector Cushion – Pressure Relieving Pillow with Cooling Gel Pack For Heel
Why we like NYOrtho heel healing boot:
- Zero pressure
- Extended and cushioned design floats the heel over an air cavity
- Provides air circulation
- Soft velvet fabric protects thin fragile skin
- Easy sizing chart
- Removable gel pack for icing
- Adaptable strap
- Highly rated on Amazon
How long does it take a bruised heel to heal?
It can take up to three weeks for a bruised heel to heal. During this time, the heel may feel tender and swollen, and it is important not to put any weight, or as little as possible on the foot until it has fully healed.
Concluding Thoughts
A bruised heel can be quite painful and make it difficult to walk or stand. But if you give it a few weeks to heal and make sure you have some good pain cream and a light schedule where you can be off your foot for the most part, you will heal quickly and put it behind you! We wish you well on your journey to recover fully from your bruised heel!
The links used on thewellthieone.com are affiliate links, which may provide a small commission. This does not increase the price of the goods for the consumer whatsoever. What it does is ensure that useful content like this can continue to be produced. Thank-you for enjoying our content and allowing us to continue to provide more.
