What is Heel Pain?
Heel pain is one of the most common forms of foot pain in adults. It often occurs as a result of daily activities and exercise. The heel is the largest of the 26 bones in the human foot. It is designed to provide a firm support for the weight of your body. The heel absorbs the impact when your feet hit the ground when walking and running, and it springs you forward, ready for the next step. While walking, the stresses placed on your feet can be one-and-a-quarter times your body weight. So it is not surprising that heel pain is common.
What causes Heel Pain?
There are many causes of Heel Pain, such as:
- Achillies Tendonitis
- Excessive Pronation
- Haglunds Deformaties
- Heel Spurs
- Inflammatory conditions such as Bursitis, Arthritis and Spondylitis.
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Severs Disease
- Stress fractures
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Our Podiatrist Tony Gavin has filmed a short video on the causes of Heel Pain.
How can we help?
Treatment of heel pain depends entirely on the cause of the problem. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you understand the cause of your symptoms before embarking on a treatment program.
Our Podiatrists can manufacture custom orthotics to correct any biomechanical abnormalities that may be causing your heel pain.
Putting an ice pack on your heel for 20 minutes several times a day helps reduce inflammation. Place a thin towel between the ice and your heel; do not apply ice directly to the skin.
