Heel pain can significantly impact daily activities and mobility, making it essential to identify the cause and seek appropriate treatment.
Heel pain presents as a symptom of many conditions, and it's crucial to identify the underlying cause before starting any treatment.
Common causes of heel pain:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Bone contusion
- Bursitis
- Fat pad atrophy
- Growth plate injuries
- Haglund's deformity/ pump bump
- Infection
- Inflammatory arthritis (gout, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, spondyloarthropathies)
- Nerve entrapment
- Osteoarthritis
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Plantar fasciitis
- Plantar fibromatosis
- Posterior impingement
- Stress fractures
- Tumors or growths
When to seek treatment
If you experience persistent or severe heel pain, or discomfort that is affecting your daily life and ability to stay active, it's time to see a foot & ankle specialist. A thorough evaluation, physical exam, imaging (e.g. x-rays, MRI), and medical history review will be performed. Based on your diagnosis, treatment recommendations can be tailored to your specific condition and needs.
Failure to identify the cause of your pain can exacerbate the problem and/or delay proper medical care, ultimately leading to a longer road to recovery.