If you have a lot of heel pain, this can make it difficult to walk and even keep you up at night. Fortunately, you can learn what is causing your heel pain so you can get it treated. You can then walk pain free.
Causes of Heel Pain
There are many things that can cause heel pain. One of these things is plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia ligament runs along the bottom of your foot and into your heel. If you put a lot of pressure on your feet over time, this will damage the ligament, causing your heel to hurt and possible stiffness in your ankle.
Bursitis can also cause heel pain. With bursitis, sacs filled will fluid build up around the joints, including the joints in the bottom of your feet. These sacs will cause pressure on the tendons in your heel. If this happens, you will feel pain.
Achilles tendinitis is another cause of heel pain. This is often due to overusing your feet, such as if you are a runner or walk for exercise on a regular basis. The tendinitis starts in calf muscles and then reaches down to the heel of your foot.
Treatment for Heel Pain
At home, make sure your shoes fit you well, as shoes that do not support your ankle can cause heel pain. There are shoe inserts that you can purchase. The doctor may suggest you visit a specialist to fit you with special shoe inserts.
There are night splits that you can purchase that you wear while you are sleeping at night. The split stresses your foot while you are sleeping, helping you to feel less pain. Stay off your feet as much as you can for a few days and apply ice to your heel a few times a day for approximately 10 minutes. You can also try over the counter pain medications.
If you still feel pain in your heel, make an appointment with a podiatrist to get treatment. The doctor will get information from you about what you think is causing your heel pain and how bad your pain is. The doctor may order x-rays to give them a better look at your heel. If the doctor thinks something is wrong, they may order an MRI.
If the doctor finds that a tendon or joint is causing the problem, they will likely suggest that you go to physical therapy. This will help strengthen the tendons and muscles in your foot, which can take away the pain and prevent you from getting heel pain again.
If you continue to have this problem, surgery may be your only other option.
The podiatrist that you see can give you much more information about heel pain and how it is treated. Contact a clinic like Collier Podiatry PA for more information.