Heel pain has many causes, from plantar fasciitis to fracture to different types of arthritis. Heel pain can be mild or severe enough to make walking difficult. While some types of heel pain will heal on their own with treatment, others may require medical treatment, from special footwear to surgery.
Types of Heel Pain
Heel pain can result from injuries, inflammation, or chronic conditions. Treatment of heel pain depends on the cause, which is why it’s so important to seek medical attention if the pain is acute after an accident or if the pain persists over several days or weeks.
Causes of heel pain include:
Tendonitis (inflammation) or rupture of the tendon
Bone/heel spurs
Bone tumors
Bursitis or retrocalcaneal bursitis
Peripheral neuropathy
Stress fractures
Plantar fasciitis
Reactive or Rheumatoid arthritis
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Haglund’s deformity
Bone infection/osteomyelitis
Sarcoidosis
Traumatic injury/fracture
Diagnosis and Treatment of Heel Pain
Diagnosis of heel pain involves a physical examination and questions regarding your pain or discomfort, such as how long you’ve had it, whether certain activities make it worse, or whether you’ve recently suffered a traumatic injury.
The next step of diagnosis is to get images of your foot. This can include x-rays, CT scans or MRI scans. Some types of heel pain, such as inflammation, may be difficult to see even with imaging, which is why a physical examination is important.
Treatment can vary depending on the cause of the heel pain. Treatment can range from a simple change in lifestyle or activities to specialized footwear to pain management. In some cases, surgery may be needed to correct issues such as traumatic injury fractures or bone spurs. The doctors at Princeton Orthopaedic Associates will work with you to find the best solution to your heel pain.
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