Heel Pain
Our feet are designed to handle a heavy load but putting too much stress on them pushes them over their limits, resulting in pain. It is advisable not to ignore the early signs of heel pain as it could become a chronic condition leading to more problems.
Symptoms
Some common associated symptoms of heel pain include:
- Swelling in your heel
- Redness in your heel
- Difficulty walking due to the pain
Causes
Some of the more common causes of heel pain are from pounding your feet on hard surfaces while playing sports or wearing shoes that irritate sensitive tissues.
Other factors include:
- Stone bruise – stepping on a hard object such as a rock or stone and bruising the fat pad on the underside of your heel
- Plantar fasciitis – doing too much running or jumping which causes inflammation in the tissue band connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes
- Heel spur – a bony spur or calcified deposit may form if plantar fasciitis continues for a long time
- Achilles tendinitis – doing too much running or wearing shoes that rub or cut into the back of the heel
Diagnosis
Your orthopaedic specialist will start off by understanding more about your medical history and symptoms, followed by a physical examination to check your feet to determine the actual site and cause of your pain.
Treatment
Most heel pain can be resolved with at-home remedies such as resting and applying ice. Your orthopaedic doctor may also prescribe pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications, splints, shoe inserts and physical therapy. If conservative treatments prove to be ineffective, your doctor may recommend surgery to correct the problem, though that is rare.
Every case is different; hence it is best to consult an orthopaedic specialist for an accurate diagnosis so that you can obtain the best treatment option that is most suitable for you. Reach out to us today if you are suffering from heel pain and let us help you enjoy a better quality of life.
