Heel pain Health Article

Alternative Names

Pain - heel

Common Causes

The most frequent causes of heel pain are not single injuries, such as a fall or twist, but repetitive or excessive heel pounding.

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick connective tissue on the sole of your foot that attaches to your heel. The pain is usually felt at the bottom of your heel and is often worse in the morning because of stiffness that occurs overnight. The following increase your risk of developing this painful problem:

• Shoes with poor arch support or stiff soles
• Quick turns that put stress on your foot
• Tight calf muscles
• Repetitive pounding on your feet from long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
• Pronation -- landing on the outside of your foot and roll inward when walking or running; to know if you pronate, check the soles of your shoes to see if they are worn along the outer edge

Bone spurs in the heel can accompany plantar fasciitis, but are generally not the source of the pain. If you treat the plantar fasciitis appropriately, the bone spur is likely to no longer bother you.

Heel bursitis (inflammation of the back of the heel) can be caused by landing hard or awkwardly on the heel, or by pressure from shoes.

Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of the large tendon that connects your calf muscle to your heel. This can be caused by:

• Running, especially on hard surfaces like concrete
• Tightness and lack of flexibility in your calf muscles
• Shoes with inadequate stability or shock absorption
• Sudden inward or outward turning of your heel when hitting the ground

Home Care

• Rest as much as possible for at least a week.
• Apply ice to the painful area. Do this at least twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes, more often in the first couple of days.
• Take acetaminophen for pain or ibuprofen for pain and inflammation.
• Wear proper-fitting shoes.
• A heel cup, felt pads in the heel area, or an orthotic device may help.
• Night splints can help some types of heel pain.

Additional steps:

• Apply moleskin to avoid pressure if you have bursitis.
• See a physical therapist to learn stretching and strengthening exercises. These help prevent plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis from returning.