What's Causing Your Heel Pain?

It’s frustrating when you’re slowed down by a problem with a part of your body you rarely think about: your heel. Yet heel pain is one of the most common foot problems that Dr. Kerry Berg treats here at Intermountain Foot & Ankle Associates in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Your foot is a complex and amazing machine. With more than 50 bones and joints in each foot, Dr. Berg works diligently to determine what’s causing your symptoms so she can treat the root cause of your heel pain, which may be caused by any of the following common conditions.

Plantar fasciitis

A thick band of elastic tissue called the plantar fascia ligament runs the full distance from your heel to your toes. When it gets inflamed from overstretching, you can suffer with plantar fasciitis. Symptoms include stabbing pain in your heel and heel pain with first movements after inactivity, like your first steps out of bed in the morning.

Achilles tendonitis

Overuse of the Achilles tendon from certain movements (like jumping) causes it to flare up and cause these problems:

• Heel swelling
• Heel pain
• Tight calf muscles
• Limited range of motion

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic attack on your joints. A reported 90% of people who have the chronic disease say the pain is more prevalent in their hands and feet. Some of the signs of the autoimmune condition are joint pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints.

Bone spurs

Damage in your heel joints from osteoarthritis or other degenerative conditions causes your body’s innate healing mechanisms to rush to the scene and add new bone material to your existing bones, forming bone spurs. The unnecessary add-on bone leads to:

• Joint pain
• Joint stiffness
• Cramps
• Muscle weakness
• Nerve pain

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

Compression of your foot’s posterior tibial nerve from injuries, bone spurs, or tendon inflammation lead to:

• Heel pain that cycles between constant or shooting
• Generalized foot pain
• Burning near your heel
• Numbness at the base of your foot

Stress fracture

Strenuous exercise or repetitive overuse can stress the heel bone and cause it to fracture. Symptoms include:

• Swelling around your heel and ankle
• Acute or chronic heel pain
• Ankle bruises
• Difficulty walking

Help for heel pain

Depending on the cause of your heel problem, Dr. Berg customizes a treatment plan to relieve your pain and restore your mobility. Some of the therapies we offer include:

• Physical therapy
• Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT)
• Tailored shoe inserts
• Splints
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Shoe modifications
• RICE therapy (rest, ice, compression, elevation)
• Topaz procedure

Get started with your heel pain therapy at Intermountain Foot & Ankle Associates. Call the office now or book an appointment online.