Heel Pain? Now What?

You wake up, step out of bed and bang! It’s like someone just shot you in the foot. You can’t put any pressure on your heel and you feel like you’ve aged 20 years overnight.

Heel pain is a very common condition that I see in my practice. Heel pain can be the result of sudden injury or more repetitive strain of the soft tissues in the foot. It can affect children and adults. It can affect elite athletes as much as your average Joe. For most people who develop heel pain, it tends to be something that has a gradual onset. It tends to worsen over time until it gets to the point where the individual feels they finally need to do something about it. Heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, Sever’s disease etc. are some of the conditions that could be the culprit. The key with heel pain is not to wait. Get it assessed and treated as soon as you can. Know that, treating the symptoms is only half the battle. Anti-inflammatories will get you only so far. The key to resolving the pain quickly is to not just treat the symptoms but to treat the underlying cause. Imagine treating a painful abscessed tooth with pain medication only. The pain medication will make it feel better for a while, but it is not treating the infection which is ultimately the underlying cause.

Heel pain can become a debilitating condition that can have a significant impact on your general well-being.

Be proactive and seek help sooner than later.