Heel Pain is Real Pain

“I have heel pain” is a comment that podiatric physicians hear nearly every day. Patients complain that their heel hurts when they get out of bed in the morning, or after they’ve been sitting for long periods of time. Heel pain is non-discriminating; just about anyone can have it. For example, runners complain of heel pain and so do kids. Patients with diabetes can also have heel pain. Despite the many causes, it’s a prevalent problem, but one that can have solutions.

Let’s think about that lonely bone in the bottom of our foot, the heel bone. This bone, the largest in our foot, withstands a great deal of abuse as we cram it into our shoes day after day and subject it to our full weight with every step. With such abuse, it’s no wonder that heel pain (most commonly called plantar fasciitis) is a problem for so many of us.

In our pursuit of healthy bodies, we often let our heel pain go without treatment for much too long. Heel pain is generally the result of faulty biomechanics (walking/gait abnormalities), that places too much stress on the heel bone and the soft tissues that

attach to it. The stress can also result from injury or a bruise incurred while walking, running, or jumping on hard surfaces. It can also be due to wearing poorly constructed footwear or from being overweight. Many people complain of heel pain after a night’s sleep. As you walk, the heel pain may lessen or even disappear, but that may be only a false sense of relief. The pain usually returns after prolonged rest or extensive walking.

Heel pain is commonly accompanied by a heel spur, a bony growth on the underside of the heel bone. The spur, visible by xray, appears as a protrusion that can extend forward as much as half an inch. Heel spurs are a result of strain on the muscles and ligaments of the foot, or a stretching of the long band of tissue that connects the heel and the ball of the foot. Your podiatric physician can evaluate and treat this condition and recommend

options that help to alleviate pain.

Plantar fasciitis can usually be treated without surgery, using exercise or orthotics (custom-made or prescription shoe inserts). There are many other causes of heel pain other than plantar fasciitis. These can include arthritis, Achilles tendonitis or bone bruises. Stress fractures of the heel bone can also occur, although infrequently. Often, heel pain can be attributed to bursitis, a neuroma (a nerve growth), or Haglund’s deformity (or “pump bump”). When children suffer from heel pain, a visit to the podiatrist is imperative because their problems may be quite different from those of adults. Regardless of the cause, evaluation by an APMA member podiatrist is your first step to relief.

To prevent heel pain, try some of these tips recommended by podiatric physicians:

• Always wear properly fitted shoes specific to your activity with shock-absorbent soles, rigid shanks and supportive heel counters.

• Replace shoes frequently and avoid excessive wear and tear. • Warm up and stretch before and after exercise. Pace yourself when starting new exercise routines.

• Remember that we all need rest and good nutrition to remain healthy.

• If you are overweight, consider losing weight to reduce the stress on your feet and other bones and muscles in your body.

• Avoid walking barefoot on hard surfaces, both inside and out. Your podiatrist has extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of all manner of foot conditions and plantar fasciitis is one of the most common ailments.

For further information about foot or ankle conditions, contact one of our foot and ankle surgeons at the Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute, LLC.  Visit us on the web at www.rfainstitute.comor make an appointment with one of our state of the art offices in Maryland:

Hagerstown 301.797.8554, 1150 Professional Court, Suite C, 21740

Frederick 301.418.6014, 2100 Old Farm Drive, Suite D, 21702