One of the more common reasons for heel pain is plantar fasciitis. However, there are other causes as well, such as heel spurs or injuries. Heel pain can make it hard for you to get around. You will have a difficult time bearing weight on your heel. Even if you try to walk on the ball of your foot, the stress still reaches your heel, causing pain. If you are experiencing pain in your heel, it's a good idea to go in to see the podiatrist as soon as possible. You can begin treatment after your visit and this means you will start feeling better sooner. Here is more information on a couple of the things that can cause heel pain and some of the different treatments that the podiatrist may recommend for those conditions:
Plantar fasciitis
You have a band of tissue that connects your toes to your heels, and it is called the plantar fascia. This band can become inflamed or get injured, causing the condition known as plantar fasciitis. This condition can cause you can experience pain along the bottom of your foot, but most times the pain is most severe at the heel.
Treatments for plantar fasciitis
For a minor case of plantar fasciitis, resting the foot, icing it, and stretching it can help. Depending on the severity, there are many types of treatments available. Some of these include:
- Anti-inflammatories
- Going to physical therapy
- Wearing splints at night
- Wearing special arch supports inside your shoes
- Getting injections
- Having surgery done
Heel spurs
Heel spurs are calcium deposits that cause a protrusion of bone on the bottom of the heel bone. This bone protrusion can cause no pain in some people and a lot of pain in others. Heel spurs can be caused by muscle or ligament strains in the foot. Also, problems with the plantar fascia can lead to the development of a bone spur. Another cause can be repeated injuries to the heel bone, and/or the membrane covering it. Repeated injuries tend to happen to people who are regularly putting a lot of stress on their feet by doing activities such as jumping.
Treatments for heel spurs
One possible heel pain treatment is anti-inflammatories. Also, cortisone injections can often prove to be very helpful for a heel spur. In many cases, physical therapy can be a very effective form of treatment. In the case of a severe heel spur, surgery may be necessary.
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