Common Causes of Heel Pain

There are several conditions that can cause heel pain like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, arthritis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, Sever’s disease, and stress fractures.

Plantar fasciitis is caused by the inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a strong fibrous tissue found underneath the foot. Pain is felt underneath the heel. Pain is felt when you take your first steps out of bed or from a long drive.

Achilles tendinitis is due to an inflamed Achilles tendon, a tendon found behind the foot causing posterior heel pain. Characteristic pain of Achilles tendinitis is progressive pain while walking or standing at the back of the foot.

Sever’s disease or calcaneal apophysitis is the most common cause of heel pain in children and teenagers. Pain is due to repetitive strain to the growth plates of the heel bone.

Fortunately, all of these conditions can be relieved by the RICE method. If you suffering for heel pain and need a quick fix, try this method:

REST – The reason why acute heel pain turns to a chronic one is because we don’t allow our foot to rest. Every time we feel any foot pain, we take pain killers. This is very wrong because your are masking the pain, allowing you to use your foot; hence, adding more injury. Allowing the foot to rest, allows the small injuries to heal.

Ice – Applying cold stimuli is a simple way to reduce the pain and swelling.

Compress – Applying an elastic bandage helps reduce swelling and also immobilizes the foot. Immobilizing the foot is an excellent way to allow the foot to heal.

Elevate – Sometimes body fluids tend to pool on the foot especially when it’s injured. Elevating the foot above the heart allows the fluid to return to the circulation, drastically reducing swelling and pain.