What causes heel pain?
The most common causes of heel pain include:
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis develops when the plantar fascia, the ligament connecting your heel to your toes, becomes inflamed. This condition often occurs due to repetitive stress, high-impact activities, overpronation, and a tight Achilles tendon.
Heel spurs
A heel spur is an overgrowth of bone that forms where the plantar fascia attaches to your heel bone. Heel spurs often occur in people who have plantar fasciitis.
Achilles tendonitis
The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel, lifting your heel when you take a step. This tendon often develops inflammation due to overuse injuries or when you suddenly increase your activity level.
What causes heel fractures?
Stress fractures commonly occur in the heel due to repetitive movements, especially when you participate in running sports. Though not as common, you can fracture your heel during a high-energy injury, such as falling from a ladder or a car accident.
Heel fractures, also called calcaneus fractures, can cause severe damage and heel deformities requiring reconstructive surgery.
What symptoms might I have along with heel pain?
Depending on the cause of your heel pain, you may also experience:
- Bruising
- Tenderness to the touch
- Swelling in the heel
- Heel deformity
- Inability to bear weight on your heel
- Swelling along Achilles tendon
- Swelling on the top of your foot or outside of your ankle
In most cases, your heel pain feels better when you rest and worse when you’re active.
How is heel pain treated?
Your treatment depends on the cause and severity of your heel pain. The team at ROC Orthopedics starts your treatment with conservative therapies such as rest, temporary immobilization, and activity modification. They also develop an exercise program to strengthen and stretch the soft tissues.
When you still have heel pain despite conservative measures, your provider may recommend:
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
Your provider takes a sample of your blood, processes it to separate and concentrate the platelets, and then injects it at the site of damaged tissues such as ligaments and tendons. The platelets accelerate healing, regulate inflammation, and support the regeneration of new tissues.
Minimally invasive surgery
When you need surgery to repair the cause of your heel pain, ROC Orthopedics have extensive experience performing minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive procedures cause less post-op pain and allow for a faster recovery.
To get relief from heel pain, call ROC Orthopedics or schedule an appointment online today.
