Heel Pain is most prevalent in active people over the age of 40 and generally results from an irregular walking gait that places too much stress on the heel bone and the attaching soft tissues. The heel bone, or calcaneus, is the largest bone in the foot and is the first part of the foot to contact the ground during walking. The foot has 33 joints and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments. The plantar fascia connective tissue supports the arch of the foot. The flexor digitorum brevis muscle supports the arch and flexes the four small toes.

Heel pain occurs in the front, back, or bottom of the heel and commonly originates in the left foot. Compensation for existing heel pain may soon cause symptoms in the opposite heel. Heel pain can also be caused by foot injury, wearing flimsy or insufficient footwear, obesity, or bruising from activity on hard surfaces. Chronic heel pain can lead to pain in other lower extremity locations, including the toes, ankles, knees, and hips.

The Heel Pain Relief Center offers diagnosis and treatment options for these common causes of heel pain:

Diagnoses

  • Plantar Fasciitis: Extensive running and jumping, or gait abnormalities, can inflame the fascia connective tissue that supports the heel, running from the heel bone to the base of the toes. This is the most common cause of heel pain.
  • Bone/Heel Spurs: Sufferers of plantar fasciitis may experience the formation of calcium deposits and new bone growth where the fascia tissue band connects to the heel bone.
  • Excessive Pronation: An abnormal gait when walking or running can create excessive stretching and pulling of the ligaments and tendons attached to the bottom of the heel bone.
  • Achilles Tendinitis: Inflammation of the Achilles tendon is common among people with tight tendons who run or walk regularly. This causes pain at the back of the heel.
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: The tibial nerve travels along the inner leg behind the bump on the inside of the ankle and splits into three different paths to the heel and the bottom of the foot. Compression of this nerve can cause heel pain.
  • Haglund’s Deformity: This bone enlargement at the back of the heel bone, at the attachment of the Achilles tendon, results from bursitis caused by pressure against the shoe.
  • Bone Bruises: This common heel injury is an inflammation of the tissues that cover the heel bone, caused by the direct impact of a hard object or surface on the foot.
    • Other causes of heel pain include:
  • Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or bursitis
  • Neuroma or nerve growth
  • Strenuous exercise
  • Obesity
  • Standing for long periods
  • Improperly fitting shoes
  • Stress fractures