The most common foot problem is heel pain. Heel pain can be caused by inflammation, bone changes or nerve compression. The Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone under or behind the heel. It can sometimes affect the side.

Plantar Fasciitis is the name given to pain under the heel. It is the leading cause of heel pain. Achilles Tendinitis is the cause of heel pain. The inner and outer sides of the foot or heel can be affected by pain.

Most heel pain will resolve without treatment. However, sometimes it may persist and become chronic.This article discusses the causes of heel discomfort and how to treat it.

Causes

Heel pain can be cause by a single injury, such as a fall or twist, or it may result from repeated stress or pounding on the heel.

Flat shoes can also cause the plantar fascia to become swollen and inflamed. This causes pain and discomfort.

There are many causes of heel pain, including:

Plantar fasciitis

This is inflammation in the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia, a bowstring-like Ligament, runs from the heel bone to the tip.

The foot anatomy often causes this type of pain. Plantar fasciitis can occur if, for example, the arches of the foot are too high or too low.

Heel bursitis

An inflammation can develop at the back heel in the bursa. This is a fluid-filled fibrous sac. This condition may be caused by landing on your heels hard or awkwardly or by pressure from shoes.This pain may be felt deep within the heel or on the back.

Haglund's deformity

Haglund's deformity refers to a bony growth on the heel. It happens when the back of the foot is rubbed by footwear, irritating the skeletal development and surrounding tissues.

Hard-backed pumps and shoes can cause Haglund deformity by putting pressure on the heel. For this reason, people refer to the condition as a "pump bump."

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

In Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (TTS), tissue compresses a large nerve at the back of the heel, causing pain.

This type of compression has a greater risk of a stress fracture of the metatarsal bone of the foot.Osteoporosis may also lead to stress fractures.

Severe's Disease

It is the most common cause of heel pain in young adults and children. The heel pain is caused by repeated microtrauma to the growth plates in the heel bone.

Sever's Disease is most common in children ages 7-15.

Achilles tendonitis

When the large tendon at the back of the foot becomes inflamed, it is called Achilles tendinitis.

Achilles tendinitis is most commonly caused by overuse or injury. Tendinitis is also known as tendinosis or tendinopathy.

Other causes

There are other causes of heel pain, including:

• Achilles tendon rupture
• plantar fascia tear
• Baxter's nerve entrapment
• Cysts or calcaneal Stress Fracture
• soft tissue mass
• Short flexor tendon tears
• Systemic arthritis
• bone bruise
• Problems with circulation
• Poor posture while walking or running
• A bone cyst is a single, fluid-filled cyst within a bone
• gout
• Morton's neuroma
• Osteomyelitis is an infection in the bone or bone marrow

Symptoms

The pain is usually felt under the heel, towards the front. The pain usually starts slowly and gets worse.

If there is a tear, the pain can be severe. When the injury occurs, a person might hear make a popping noise. Pain will also be felt immediately.

Heel pain sites

Heel pain can occur at specific sites. There are many different treatments and causes for heel pain.

The bottom of the heel is called plantar fasciitis by health experts. Here, pain can occur.

• Achilles Tendon: This tendon is located on the backside of the lower leg and can be caused by repeated stress, such as tight calves or sudden increases in exercise intensity and activity.
• Side: Lateral Foot Pain is felt on the outside of the foot or heel, while Medial Foot Pain is felt on the inside. Stress fractures, TTS and other conditions can cause it.

Treatment

The majority of people will recover within a few months with conservative treatment.

The following are some of the treatment options:

• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce swelling and pain.
• Injections of corticosteroids can be effective if NSAIDs do not work.
• Six weeks. Surgery may be required if the pain persists after several weeks of treatment. A surgeon can detach the fascia plantar from the heel during surgery. This may cause the arch to weaken.
• Standing calf raise
• Face a wall. Place the heel-affected foot behind the other. The front leg should be straight, and the back leg bent while the foot is on the ground. You can pull your hips toward the wall and feel the stretch in the lower leg's calf.
• The band-assisted ankle flexion
• Sit down on the floor, and keep one leg straight. One end of the band should be secured to a solid object, and the other end to the top part of the foot. Repeat the process on both feet.
• Rolling stretch
• Sit on the floor with both your feet. Roll a ball or other rollable object for two minutes under the arch of your affected foot.
• Home remedies
• Heel pain can be treated at home if it is not severe.

Included in this are:

• Rest your heels: Do not run or stand for long periods, do not walk on hard surfaces and avoid any activity that stresses the heels.
• Ice: Wrap an ice pack in a cloth and place it on the affected skin area for 15 minutes.
• Shoes That fit and support well are essential, especially for athletes.
• Supports for the feet: Heel cups and wedges can relieve symptoms.
• According to some studies, Botox can help with plantar fasciitis.
• According to another study, it delivered a standard dose of external beam risk factors that can cause heel pain.
• having tight calf muscles
• High arches
• running excessively
• Being an older adult
• Carrying extra weight
• Standing or walking a lot is a requirement of the job
• Low arches
• Prevention
• Reduces the amount of stress placed on the affected part of the body.

Here are some tips:

• Wearing shoes on hard surfaces and not going barefoot
• It would help if you aimed to maintain or reach an average body weight to reduce heel stress.
• Choose footwear with heels made from materials that can absorb some pressure or use inserted heel pads.
• Ensure your shoes are well-fitting and have no worn-out heels or soles.
• Resting your feet instead of standing when possible
• Warming up before sports or activities that could put much pressure on your heels is essential.

Credit: NoRXPharmaUSA.com