Heel Pain

Your feet are essential to your body’s well-being. They are key to movement. When you have pain or discomfort in any part of your foot, it can disrupt everything. You cannot be as active as you’d like, and it can even disrupt your sleep.

Having heel pain is a common complaint for many individuals. It can also be easy to identify and treat.

What is heel pain?

Heel pain is any discomfort or aches in your heel or behind it. You may also feel pain in the heel bone. There are many different reasons that people suffer from heel pain. While resting your feet can help reduce the pain, it’s important to have your foot examined by a professional. They will have the knowledge and expertise to diagnose the underlying issue and free you from heel pain permanently.

Common causes of heel pain

Whether you’ve just started to have heel pain or you’ve been dealing with it for years, several conditions can cause it or make it worse. These include:

Achilles Tendinitis

Your Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. It is your body’s strongest and longest tendon, and overuse can cause you heel pain. It also plays a crucial role in your ability to walk, jump, and run. Medical professionals can help identify the irritation and inflammation that causes Achilles tendinitis and determine if it is non-insertional, which means the tendon has small tears in the middle section or insertional, which is damage to the lower part.

Anyone of any age can suffer heel pain caused by Achilles tendinitis. While home remedies can help fix the pain, it’s essential to talk to a professional about your discomfort. If left untreated, Achilles tendinitis can get worse. The tendon can become more damaged, and you’ll need surgery to repair it.

Achilles tendinitis symptoms include

    • Pain in your heel or calf
    • Swelling in your heel or calf
    • Unable to fully flex your foot
    • Soreness or a stiff feeling in the calf
    • Unable to stand up on your toes

This condition can be caused by different factors, such as

    • Arthritis
    • Not stretching before you exercise
    • Repeated, straining movements of the calf
    • Engaging in sports that have quick stops or jumps like tennis or basketball
    • Running uphill
    • Not enough support in footwear
    • Wearing high heels too long

Plantar fasciitis

Another common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. It happens when there is too much weight or pressure on your feet. This can damage your plantar fascia ligament, which is a band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot. When the plantar fascia tears, it can cause you pain in your heel. Although this condition can happen to anyone, it is most common in those with diabetes, who are overweight, runners, pregnant women, and tennis players. Plantar fasciitis can also result from moving large furniture and not having enough support in your footwear. If you have flat feet or high arches, you’re more likely to get heel pain from plantar fasciitis.

Patients with plantar fasciitis often have these symptoms:

    • Dull or sharp pain
    • Ache in the heel
    • Heel stiffness, particularly when climbing stairs
    • Pain worsens in the morning or after you’ve been sitting for a while

Many times people don’t feel the pain of plantar fasciitis during physical activity, but it can flare up after they’ve stopped.

Bursitis

Bursitis is a swelling that happens around your joints, including your feet. Around your joints, you have some extra padding that helps protect your bone, muscle, and tendons from inflammation and friction. The bursae are tiny sacs filled with fluid that are found all over the body, but especially around your joints.

Unlike arthritis, bursitis only lasts for a short time and won’t cause any long-term damage unless left untreated. If you are involved in a job or hobby that puts extra pressure on your joints, you are at higher risk of pain from bursitis, for example, gardening, painting, scrubbing, shovelling, tennis, golf, and baseball.

Symptoms of bursitis include:

    • Movement pain
    • Reduced range of motion
    • Swelling of the joint area

It’s important to talk to a medical professional about your heel pain if you suspect it may be caused by bursitis. To diagnose the problem, they may need to do some extra testing, like x-rays, MRIs, or ultrasounds.

Heel spur

If there is long-term stress on the foot, it can lead to a heel spur. This is an abnormal growth of bone in the heel area. Wearing footwear that does not provide you with the proper support can lead to heel spurs. Often heel spurs are not the source of heel pain but rather an unfortunate outcome of plantar fasciitis. While some people without heel problems can also have spurs if you are overweight or run or job often, you’re at higher risk.

Treatment of heel pain

Many causes of heel pain can be treated with non-surgical procedures. These include using ice and heat on the injured area, resting and not engaging in the activity that caused the injury, and taking pain or inflammation medications.

Why CWG Footcare?

CWG Footcare can help get you back on your feet if you’re suffering from heel pain. Our specialists understand the conditions that lead to heel pain, and we’re here to help. Proper footwear that provides the right amount of support for you can help alleviate and prevent conditions that cause heel pain.

Our team provides comprehensive pedorthic services for everyone who wants a little extra comfort while being active. Whether you’re an athlete, dancer, skier, runner or a weekend walker, CWG Footwear can help you to be safe and active.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a foot condition or are suffering from heel pain, contact CWG Footcare, and let us help you find the care your feet deserve.