Have you ever thought about how many miles you have walked over your lifetime? In a year? A month? A week? A day? Every time you pound your feet on hard surfaces, especially when you aren’t wearing proper shoes, you may begin to develop pain in the heel.
Sore heels will most likely cure themselves without resorting to surgery if given appropriate rest. However, people many times ignore the warning signs and don’t give their feet the rest they need. This can cause the pain and problem to worsen and could lead to a chronic condition.
If your heel starts to hurt makes sure you see your primary doctor or a podiatrist right away for diagnosis and treatment. They will look at your foot and heel, feeling for swelling and tenderness. Usually pain in the heel is categorized into two main categories: Pain Beneath the Heel and Pain Behind the Heel.
If the primary source of pain is underneath the heel, you could be suffering from a bruise though there may not be any discoloration. Another culprit could be plantar fasciitis which is caused by doing too much running or jumping, causing the tissue to become inflamed. This may require particular medication or exercises. Another cause could be a heel spur which is a calcium deposit (caused by untreated plantar fasciitis) where the fascia tissues connect to your bone. Rest, stretching and heel pad shoe inserts will help.
If your pain is behind your heel, you may have injured the area where the Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone. This is called retro calcaneal bursitis. This condition is usually caused by excess running or wearing shoes that rub the back of the heel. It can cause a bump on the back of the heel, swelling and the thick skin. Treatment might include rest, stretching and wearing shoes with no back for a while.
As always, don’t let foot pain in the heel go unchecked. We are here for you.
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(Source: www.aofas.org)
