“Why Does My Heel Hurt?”
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At Texas Foot Specialists this is one of the more frequent questions that we get asked by our patients. The tricky part about diagnosing and treating heel disorders is that the heel is not always the source of the problem! Below are some common heel disorders and what to do about them.
Plantar Fasciitis
There is connective tissue on the bottom of your foot that stretches from the base of your toes, across the arch of your foot to the point where it inserts into the heel bone. When this tissue becomes inflamed or overstressed it can lead to heel and arch pain. Bone or heel spurs—a bony growth on the bottom of the heel--are often associated with plantar fasciitis and contribute to the pain. Typically, this condition is treated with conservative measures including anti-inflammatory medications, icing, stretching exercises and physical therapy, and custom orthotic devices.
Achilles Tendonitis
Connecting from the lower leg to the heel is the largest tendon in your body—the Achilles tendon. This tendon runs down the back of your leg, behind the ankle, and inserts into the back surface of the heel bone. Inflammation of the tendon, which can occur as a result of tight calf muscles, excessive amounts of walking, and exercises that stretch the tendon can cause pain at the heel and possibly bone spurs. Immobilization, physical therapy, and orthotics are all possible treatment options, along with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain.
Sever’s Disease
Misnamed, as Sever’s is not actually a disease, this cause of heel pain most commonly affects young people between the age of 8 and 15. As the body grows, there is a vulnerable area at the back of the heel where the growth plate has not fully finished forming. Repetitive pressure usually through intensive sports activity can cause pain and inflammation. Rest and proper footwear are necessary to allow appropriate growth to continue without pain.
If you are experiencing heel pain, make an appointment with our podiatrists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum by contacting our Sugar Land (281-242-4448), Pasadena (281-991-0600) or Houston (713-664-6677) office. The foot doctor will first track down the source of your heel pain and will then be able to prescribe the correct treatment to bring you relief.