A heel spur can irritate the surrounding tissue in your body. Many people who have heel spurs also have plantar fasciitis and inflammation in the foot's connective tissues. To relieve the discomfort of these conditions, it helps to stretch and strengthen the plantar fascia and other tissues nearby. To maintain your foot care, learn the following exercises.

Calf Stretches & Foot Flexes

Sit on the floor and stretch your legs out in front of you, toes pointing up. Bend forward and grab your feet, then slowly pull them back toward you to stretch the sole of the foot. You can also stand with your toes on a step and your heels off the edge, and slowly lower yourself below the level of the step, then rise to your tiptoes.

Squats

When you squat down, it stretches the muscles and tendons in your ankle and the ones affected by heel spurs. Since you're not trying to strengthen your leg muscles, you don't have to do free squats or use weights. Instead, lean forward against a wall, table, or chair. Line up one foot in front of the other, then crouch. Switch sides and repeat the motion. You can also do wall squats with your back against the wall.

Toe Grabs

Lay a towel or sheet flat on the floor, then place one foot on it. Keeping your heel in place, use your toes to grasp the fabric and pull it toward your heel as far as you can. Release the fabric, straighten your foot, and use your toes to grab another section. Keep pulling the fabric toward you until you reach the edge of the towel, or until you've gathered too much of it underfoot and can't easily grab more. Then straighten out the fabric and repeat this with the other foot.

If you need foot care for heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and other conditions in Hamilton County, OH, choose Choice Podiatry Associates. With three locations in Cincinnati, their experienced foot doctors handle everything from calluses to diabetic foot care, providing personalized treatment plans and patient education. Call (513) 574-2424 to make an appointment or visit their website today.