Pain, no matter where in the body, is never normal and if it persists for more than 72 hours should be evaluated by a licensed physician. Heel pain is no exception!
Heel pain is commonly caused by plantar fasciitis. This is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that courses along the bottom, or plantar surface, of the foot. It originates at the heel bone and extends to the ball of the foot.
This inflammation can be due to increased stress and/or tightness of the fascial band which can lead to micro-tears of the fascia.
There are often additional bio-mechanical factors such as tightness of the calves, high arches, or even low arches that can contribute to the condition.
Treatment:
Most treatment options for plantar fasciitis usually do not require a reduction in activity levels. Treatments come in various forms. From administration of medications to stretching exercises and night splints and even physical therapy such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation just to name a few.
Treatments for heel pain end with prescription custom orthotics, which serve to treat the cause of the problem rather than simply relieving the symptoms.
Ankle N Foot Centers clinics offer bleeding-edge technology, such as ePats or Extracorporeal Shock-wave Therapy and Amnio/Stem Cell injections to treat plantar fasciitis and a variety of other ailments.
Other, less common causes of heel pain include calcaneal or “heel bone” fractures, bone spurs and bone spur fractures, tumors both malignant and benign, and bone cysts as well as pinch nerves. There may also be medical issues such as “Psoriatic heel” that can be the cause of heel pain. That’s where our detailed examination and knowledge help us pinpoint the cause of your pain.
Our patients can be accurately diagnosed the same day with our digital x-rays, diagnostic ultrasound and other exam modalities!