Experiencing heel pain is a pretty common issue that orthopedic doctors see on a regular basis. Unfortunately, it is a part of the body that is hard to rest since most patients want to stay mobile while they heal.
On the upside, this sort of foot pain is not life threatening and can often times heal on its own. The pain is usually not severe enough to incapacitate a patient. It is just enough to make activities like walking or jogging uncomfortable.
The most common complaint is that the pain is felt immediately when the patient gets out of bed in the morning. Nothing like starting off the day on the wrong foot, pun intended. No one likes tobegin their day with pain.
Patients usually feel the pain either towards the back of the heel where the achilles tendon is located or under the heel bone.
The reasons you could be experiencing foot pain are the following:
- Heel spur – This occurs when a bone, shaped like a hook, protrudes from the bottom of the foot where the tissue connects to the heel. Heel spurs usually form in patients that have plantar fasciitis.
- Plantar fasciitis – This is the most common cause for heel pain. The pain is felt in the heel after walking a long distance or standing for long periods for time. It develops because of irritation and inflammation of the tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the arch of the foot to the toes.
- Stress fracture – These fractures can usually be seen on athletes such as runners. It is caused by repetitive stress on the foot.
- Posterior heel pain – The pain will be felt at the back of the heel in the achilles tendon and not on the bottom of the foot.
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome – This occurs when a large nerve in the foot becomes pinched or constricted. It is similar to what patients experience when they have carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist.
If your heel pain does not go away on its own and instead becomes chronic, then it is time to see a doctor. They can set up a treatment plan to cure your ailing heel.