Heel Pain sore heel

A Podiatrist is trained to treat heel pain, if you suffer from pain in the heel we can help. Tell the Podiatrist exactly where you have pain and how long you have had it for. Your Podiatrist will examine your heel, looking and feeling for signs of tenderness and swelling. You may be asked to walk, stand on one foot or do other physical tests that help the Podiatrist pinpoint the cause of your sore heel. At Bayside Orthotic clinic we also will do a FootScan to determine if your heel pain is pressure related. Conditions that cause heel pain generally fall into two main categories: pain beneath the heel and pain behind the heel.

If it hurts under your heel, you may have one or more conditions that inflame the tissues on the bottom of your foot:

Bruised Heel: When you step on a hard object such as a rock or stone, you can bruise the fat pad on the underside of your heel. It may or may not look discolored. The pain goes away gradually with rest.
Plantar fasciitis (subcalcaneal pain): Doing too much running or jumping can inflame the tissue band (fascia) connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes. The pain is centered under your heel and may be mild at first but flares up when you take your first steps after resting overnight. You may need to do special exercises, or if the problem is Biomechanically caused we may prescribe custom made Orthotics and/or take medication to reduce swelling and wear a heel pad in your shoe.
Heel spur: When plantar fasciitis continues for a long time, a heel spur (calcium deposit) may form where the fascia tissue band connects to your heel bone. Your Podiatrist may take an X-ray to see the bony protrusion, which can vary in size. Treatment is usually the same as for plantar fasciitis, do special stretching exercises and we may prescribe custom made orthotics.
Pain Behind the heel: If you have pain behind your heel, you may have inflamed the area where the Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone (retrocalcaneal bursitis). People often get this by running too much or wearing shoes that rub or cut into the back of the heel, or extreme foot posture. Pain behind the heel may build slowly over time, causing the skin to thicken, get red and swell. You might develop a bump on the back of your heel that feels tender and warm to the touch. The pain flares up when you first start an activity after resting. It often hurts too much to wear normal shoes. You may need an X-ray to see if you also have a bone spur.

All information provided on this Web site is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for medical diagnosis, prognosis or treatment for any specific condition or individual.