Northern Foot & Ankle Associates

Heel Pain

Heel pain is a common condition in which weight bearing on the heel causes extreme discomfort. There are two main types of heel pain. The first is caused by over-use or repetitive stress which refers to a soreness resulting from too much impact on a specific area of the foot. This condition, often referred to as “heel pain syndrome”, can be caused by shoes with heels that are too low, a thinned out fat pad in the heel area, or from a sudden increase in activity.

Common Types of Heel Pain

The most common type of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fascia, the band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toes on the bottom of the foot. It stretches as the arch collapses. In this condition, the fascia first becomes irritated then inflamed, resulting in heel and or arch pain.

There are other causes of heel pain as well, such as heel spurs, stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, Achilles tendonitis, nerve irritation, or possibly a cyst.

There are many options available to treat your heel pain.

Call Northern Foot & Ankle today and set an appointment with one of our board certified podiatrists to have your heel pain properly diagnosed. Your feet don’t have to hurt.