Heel Pain: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

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Heel pain can result from injuries like sprains and fractures. Some medical conditions, including bursitis and reactive arthritis, may also cause it. Treatment can depend on the cause.

Your foot and ankle are made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons. The heel is the largest bone in your foot.

If you overuse or injure your heel, you may experience heel pain. This can range from mild to disabling. It’s possible you’ll need to have a doctor or podiatrist diagnose the cause if simple home remedies don’t ease the pain.

There are several common causes of heel pain.

• Plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs when too much pressure on your feet damages the plantar fascia ligament, causing pain and stiffness. Find out what causes this condition and possible treatment options.
• Sprains and strains. Sprains and strains are injuries to the body, often resulting from physical activity. These injuries are common and can range from minor to severe, depending on the incident. Learn more about sprains and strains.
• Fracture. A fracture is a broken bone. This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required. Know what symptoms to look for and who’s at risk.
• Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendonitis occurs when the tendon that attaches the calf muscles to the heel becomes painful or inflamed due to overuse injuries. Find out how this condition is diagnosed and treated.
• Bursitis. Bursae are fluid-filled sacs found about your joints. They surround the areas where tendons, skin, and muscle tissues meet bones.
• Ankylosing spondylitis. This form of arthritis primarily affects your spine. It causes severe inflammation of the vertebrae that might eventually lead to chronic pain and disability. Read more about ankylosing spondylitis.
• Osteochondroses. These disorders directly affect the growth of bones in children and adolescents. Learn more about the different types of osteochondroses.
• Reactive arthritis. An infection in the body triggers this is a type of arthritis. Find out more about its causes, symptoms, and possible treatments.

If you develop heel pain, you may first try some home remedies, such as rest, to ease your symptoms. If your heel pain doesn’t get better within two to three weeks, you should make an appointment with your doctor.

You should call your doctor immediately if you experience the following:

• Your pain is severe.
• The pain starts suddenly.
• You have redness in your heel.
• You have swelling in your heel.
• You can’t walk because of the pain in your heel.

If you develop heel pain, you can try these methods at home to ease your discomfort:

• Rest as much as possible.
• Apply ice to the heel for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day.
• Take over-the-counter pain medications.
• Wear shoes that fit properly.
• Wear a night splint, a special device that stretches the foot while you sleep.
• Use heel lifts or shoe inserts to reduce pain.

If these home care strategies don’t ease your pain, you need to see your doctor. They’ll perform a physical exam and ask you about your symptoms and when they began. Your doctor may also take an X-ray to determine the cause of your heel pain. Once your doctor knows what’s causing your pain, they’ll be able to provide you with the appropriate treatment.

In many cases, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy. This can help to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your foot, which helps to prevent further injury. If your pain is severe, your doctor may provide you with anti-inflammatory medications. These medications can be injected into the foot or taken by mouth.

Your doctor may also recommend that you support your foot as much as possible — either by taping the foot or by using special footwear devices.

In very rare cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to correct the problem, but heel surgery often requires a long recovery time and may not always relieve your foot pain.

Heel pain can be disabling and affect your daily movements. It may also change the way that you walk. If this happens, you may be more likely to lose your balance and fall, making you more prone to other injuries.

It may not be possible to prevent all cases of heel pain, yet there are some easy steps that you can take to avoid injury to the heel and prevent pain:

• Wear shoes that fit properly and support the foot.
• Wear the right shoes for physical activity.
• Stretch your muscles before exercising.
• Pace yourself during physical activity.
• Maintain a healthy diet.
• Rest when you feel tired or when your muscles ache.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

Heel Pain: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

• Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
• Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
• Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?

We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

Read more about our vetting process.

Was this helpful?

Heel pain can result from injuries like sprains and fractures. Some medical conditions, including bursitis and reactive arthritis, may also cause it. Treatment can depend on the cause.

Your foot and ankle are made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons. The heel is the largest bone in your foot.

If you overuse or injure your heel, you may experience heel pain. This can range from mild to disabling. It’s possible you’ll need to have a doctor or podiatrist diagnose the cause if simple home remedies don’t ease the pain.

There are several common causes of heel pain.

• Plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs when too much pressure on your feet damages the plantar fascia ligament, causing pain and stiffness. Find out what causes this condition and possible treatment options.
• Sprains and strains. Sprains and strains are injuries to the body, often resulting from physical activity. These injuries are common and can range from minor to severe, depending on the incident. Learn more about sprains and strains.
• Fracture. A fracture is a broken bone. This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required. Know what symptoms to look for and who’s at risk.
• Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendonitis occurs when the tendon that attaches the calf muscles to the heel becomes painful or inflamed due to overuse injuries. Find out how this condition is diagnosed and treated.
• Bursitis. Bursae are fluid-filled sacs found about your joints. They surround the areas where tendons, skin, and muscle tissues meet bones.
• Ankylosing spondylitis. This form of arthritis primarily affects your spine. It causes severe inflammation of the vertebrae that might eventually lead to chronic pain and disability. Read more about ankylosing spondylitis.
• Osteochondroses. These disorders directly affect the growth of bones in children and adolescents. Learn more about the different types of osteochondroses.
• Reactive arthritis. An infection in the body triggers this is a type of arthritis. Find out more about its causes, symptoms, and possible treatments.

If you develop heel pain, you may first try some home remedies, such as rest, to ease your symptoms. If your heel pain doesn’t get better within two to three weeks, you should make an appointment with your doctor.

You should call your doctor immediately if you experience the following:

• Your pain is severe.
• The pain starts suddenly.
• You have redness in your heel.
• You have swelling in your heel.
• You can’t walk because of the pain in your heel.

If you develop heel pain, you can try these methods at home to ease your discomfort:

• Rest as much as possible.
• Apply ice to the heel for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day.
• Take over-the-counter pain medications.
• Wear shoes that fit properly.
• Wear a night splint, a special device that stretches the foot while you sleep.
• Use heel lifts or shoe inserts to reduce pain.

If these home care strategies don’t ease your pain, you need to see your doctor. They’ll perform a physical exam and ask you about your symptoms and when they began. Your doctor may also take an X-ray to determine the cause of your heel pain. Once your doctor knows what’s causing your pain, they’ll be able to provide you with the appropriate treatment.

In many cases, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy. This can help to strengthen the muscles and tendons in your foot, which helps to prevent further injury. If your pain is severe, your doctor may provide you with anti-inflammatory medications. These medications can be injected into the foot or taken by mouth.

Your doctor may also recommend that you support your foot as much as possible — either by taping the foot or by using special footwear devices.

In very rare cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to correct the problem, but heel surgery often requires a long recovery time and may not always relieve your foot pain.

Heel pain can be disabling and affect your daily movements. It may also change the way that you walk. If this happens, you may be more likely to lose your balance and fall, making you more prone to other injuries.

It may not be possible to prevent all cases of heel pain, yet there are some easy steps that you can take to avoid injury to the heel and prevent pain:

• Wear shoes that fit properly and support the foot.
• Wear the right shoes for physical activity.
• Stretch your muscles before exercising.
• Pace yourself during physical activity.
• Maintain a healthy diet.
• Rest when you feel tired or when your muscles ache.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

13 reasons why heels hurt. How to get rid of pain.

October 20, 2020

13 reasons why your heels hurt. How to get rid of pain.

1. Flat feet – when the transverse arch is flattened and the height of the longitudinal arch decreases, the main functions of the foot are violated: supporting (walking), spring (mitigating shocks when walking, running, jumping), balancing (regulation of a person’s posture during movements). With flat feet, the biomechanics of the foot is disturbed with an uneven distribution of the load on the attachment sites of the plantar aponeurosis, which is the cause of pain at the site of attachment of the plantar aponeurosis to the calcaneus. The manufacture of individual insoles or the use of standard orthopedic insoles relieves pain in most cases.

2. Legs of different sizes. Congenital developmental defect. The difference in the length of the legs leads to violations of the biomechanics of walking, uneven distribution of loads on the plantar aponeurosis and pain in the heel. After measuring the length of the legs, it is necessary to compensate for the shortening with special orthopedic platforms (heel pads)

3. Diseases of the overlying parts of the leg, accompanied by pain: arthrosis of the joints of the foot, ankle, knee, hip joints. Chronic or acute pain in the legs always leads to violations of the biomechanics of walking, uneven loads on the foot and pain in the heel. It is necessary to treat the underlying disease and wear orthopedic insoles.

4. Injuries of the calcaneus and overlying parts of the leg that precede pain in the foot and heel: fractures of the calcaneus and other bones of the foot, ankle, lower leg, knee joint, thigh; closed and open injuries of muscles, ligaments, tendons. Scars, deformations of tissues and bones after injuries always lead to a violation of proper walking, uneven distribution of loads on the foot and pain in the heel. It is necessary to combine the treatment of the consequences of injuries, using massage, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and other rehabilitation methods with orthopedic insoles.

5. Prolonged wearing of tight or broken shoes in most cases leads to pain in the foot and heel area. Changing to comfortable shoes relieves pain in the foot. Prolonged wearing of shoes without a heel (ballet flats) without an orthopedic insole, especially in the presence of flat feet.

6. Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine with prolonged pain syndrome. Chronic low back pain causes a person to intuitively change their gait to reduce pain. This leads to a violation of the biomechanics of walking, improper distribution of loads on the foot and pain in the heel. It is necessary to treat pain in the lumbar spine and wear orthopedic insoles.

7. Chronic psycho-emotional stress (stress, anxiety, depression) leads to muscle tension in the legs, feet, heels and pain. A set of breathing exercises and special exercises for the legs are needed to relieve psycho-emotional and muscle tension.

8. Obesity is a common cause of heel pain due to excessive stress on the feet. It is necessary for all overweight people to wear orthopedic insoles.

9. Balance disorders for various reasons (consequences of cerebrovascular accident (stroke), brain tumors, consequences of injuries and diseases of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves (paresis, paralysis), diseases of the inner ear (the place where the vestibular apparatus is located), atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels of the brain.Balance disorders always lead to a violation of the biomechanics of walking and pain in the feet and heels.Complex treatment of balance disorders, wearing orthopedic insoles, making individual insoles is necessary.

10. Calcaneal spur – bony exostosis (protrusion) on the plantar surface of the calcaneus that presses on the plantar aponeurosis and causes pain in the heel. Treatment: physiotherapy, therapeutic blockades with hormonal drugs, surgical treatment, wearing silicone heel pads.

11. Foot fungus, foot infections (ingrown nails, corns, hyperkeratosis, diabetic foot), which always affects proper walking. Regular treatment of feet by a podologist, wearing orthopedic insoles, making individual insoles.

12. Vascular diseases of the legs (atherosclerosis obliterans, endarteritis obliterans, diabetic neuroangiopathy). Circulatory disorders and innervation of the feet are always accompanied by walking disorders. It is necessary to treat the underlying disease, the mandatory wearing of orthopedic insoles, the manufacture of individual insoles.

13. Tumor of the calcaneus. CT, X-ray of the calcaneus and tumor treatment are needed.

A set of simple exercises to get rid of pain in the heels.

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Treatment of heel pain in the physiotherapy department

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Department of Physiotherapy

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Diseases

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Heel pain

Heel pain is a common problem that can be caused by a number of conditions.

Most commonly, heel pain is a symptom of plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes and supports the arch of the foot.

A compensatory response to inflammation of the plantar fascia is often the appearance of a bone spike – a heel spur, which causes excruciating pain when resting on the heel as from a stuck nail.

Other diseases that cause pain in the heel – Achilles tendinitis, calcaneal bursitis, chondropathy (Haglund-Schinz disease).

How to cure heel pain?

In order to not only alleviate heel pain, but to reliably eliminate it, it is necessary to influence the cause of the pain syndrome. This is exactly what shock wave therapy does – the basis of the physiotherapeutic treatment of heel pain in our clinic.

The infrasonic frequency waves induced by the generator freely penetrate through the soft tissues into the focus of the inflammatory process and create the effect of an impulse massage at the border of tissues, such as fascia-bone and muscle-ligament. It is in these places that inflammatory and degenerative-dystrophic processes occur, due to which pain in the heel occurs.

Shock wave therapy has an anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect, improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition. Thanks to this, UVT activates recovery processes, mobilizing the body’s internal reserves to fight the disease.

In addition, shock wave therapy promotes the outflow of accumulated fluid in the joints and periarticular tissues, loosens and destroys calcium salt deposits, facilitating their removal from the body. In particular, SWT is the most effective non-surgical treatment for heel spurs, one of the main causes of heel pain.

In each case of heel pain, the physiotherapist of our clinic prescribes an individual course of treatment, thanks to which fast and lasting results are achieved:

• pain, inflammation, swelling, swelling, redness and other symptoms are eliminated,
• stops the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes, prevents complications with the need for surgical intervention,
• improves motor activity, quality of life, gait is restored, lameness associated with heel pain disappears,
• reduces the risk of developing diseases of the ankle, foot, heel,
• reduce or completely disappear the symptoms of concomitant foot diseases.

One of the benefits of shock wave therapy is that it not only eliminates heel pain, but also significantly strengthens the ligaments, increasing their resistance to physical stress. This reduces the risk of recurrence of pain and serves as a prevention of inflammatory processes and degenerative-dystrophic changes.