Heel pain
The heel is a specialised part of the body designed to absorb the impact of your bodyweight during weight bearing activity. Heel pain can be disabling, making every step a problem.
Heel pain is common and in most cases caused by mechanical changes or injury in the foot and ankle, but lower back problems and inflammatory medical conditions can also be a cause of your heel pain.
Conditions that can cause heel pain include:
- Plantar fasciitis (most cpmmon)
- Heel (subcalcaneal) bursitis
- Heel bumps
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Inflammation of the heel pad
- Sever’s disease
- Fracture
- Achilles tendonosis
Who gets heel pain?
Heel pain can affect everyone, whatever your age, but those more commonly affected include people in middle age, those who are overweight or stand for long periods of time, and particularly active people.
Heel pain is a common condition and often will improve with rest or some simple advice, but if the pain persists longer than three weeks, it might be time to seek more specialist assessment.
Different types of heel pain each have their own different causes and separate forms of management. Make an appointment for an Advanced Musculoskeletal Assessment which will include
- A review of your history and medical circumstances,
- A review of your activity and footwear
- An assessment of your foot and lower limb posture when weight bearing, non-weight bearing and during movement
- Diagnostic Ultrasound imaging to look for changes or damage in the structures of the foot.
Armed with all the information from your assessment your Podiatrist put together a management plan for you, going through the various treatment options that would be suitable.
See also: Advanced musculosketetal assessment