How To: Treat a Heel Bruise

A heel bruise is quite possibly the most common injury for skateboarders, next to a rolled ankle of course.  They are the bane of our existence.  More often than not, the illustrious heel bruise goes untreated.  They linger for so long, and go untreated partly because average doctors don’t regularly see these types of injuries or know how to treat them.  Unless you see some sort of specialist, your heel bruise is likely to hang around much longer than it really needs to.  Whether it is severe enough to warrant a visit to the doctor’s office or just an average heel bruise from a weekend of jumping down stairs, there is a way to speed up the healing process and not just sit around and wait.

Meet the “Bottle Roll” technique.  This is the cheapest and most affordable way to get rid of that heel bruise quicker.  All you need is a round bottle, preferably glass, metal or hard plastic.  An old beer bottle, or re-usable water bottle will work just fine.  Place the bottle sideways on the ground and roll it along the bottom of your foot in a front to back motion, applying as much pressure as you can without hurting your heel.  This will help reduce swelling and also work as a well balanced massage for the muscles around your heel and foot.  Do this for about 10-15 minutes 3 or 4 times a day and you should be skating again in no time.

If you have a more severe heel bruise like mine(shown above) or want quicker results, try freezing a bottle of water and rolling it along the bottome of your foot.  Not only will you get the benefit of the “Bottle Roll” technique, but you also have the added benefit of icing your foot at the same time.  You know, kill two birds with one stone.

Use this knowledge to help treat your injury at home instead of seeing some doctor who doesn’t have a clue.  Hell, share it with your homies too.  They will thank you later.

For more strategic health tips and skate hacks, check out our “How-To” section.

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