If you’re struggling with heel pain, you might be tempted to walk around on hard surfaces without shoes. After all, many refrain from wearing footwear indoors.

Advanced Foot Care of NJ has put together the blog below to clear up confusion and provide a few hard truths about hard surfaces and going barefoot in the home. We hope it helps ease your aches!

What’s the Big Deal About Going Barefoot at Home?

If your heels are already hurting, this habit can be more damaging than you’d expect.

Your plantar fascia ligament is often the root of heel pain; increased tension can contribute to inflammation (plantar fasciitis).
That inflammation can sometimes worsen without proper care, progressing into a form of degeneration referred to as plantar fasciosis.
Plantar fasciosis can inflict more pain, and it’s also more difficult to treat. Its root cause is currently unknown.
What is known is that constantly going barefoot on hard surfaces makes the issue worse.

Who Should Watch Out for This?

Unfortunately, many with heel pain choose to walk barefoot at home.

Roughly 75% of our female patients with heel pain concede that they stand on hard surfaces shoeless at home.
Some people might think that wearing slippers resolves the issue, but that’s not the case.
Slippers lack both an arch and a raised heel, and each of these qualities is crucial to easing tension in the plantar fascia ligament.

Ok, What Should I Do About It?

Don’t kill the messenger! We’ve got some tough advice to share for shoeless households.

Wearing shoes at home is probably your best option if you’re suffering from heel pain.
High-quality sandals can also provide the necessary support.
When footwear in the home isn’t helping, ask your podiatrist if there might be a more severe form of plantar fasciitis at work or if some form of scar tissue is complicating things.

Our team specializes in treating plantar fascia problems! Don’t worry: When you’re 100% pain-free, you can go back to the occasional barefoot day at home. At Advanced Foot Care of NJ, LLC, our doctor and staff look forward to resolving all of your family’s podiatric healthcare needs. We proudly serve Little Falls, Cedar Grove, Verona, Stoney Road, Sandy Hill, Albion Place, and Great Notch communities. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!