According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 1.5 million Americans seek diagnosis and treatment for heel pain annually. This means Pico Robertson, Beverly Hills heel pain is more likely to affect your life than other foot problems. Remember, because the heel bone supports the longitudinal foot arch to help absorb shocks and distribute weight, its health j function can be affected by different conditions.

Below are the main potential causes of heel pain.

Plantar fasciitis

Also called the policeman’s heel, plantar fasciitis involves the irritation and swelling of a thick band of tissue connecting your heel bones to the ball of your feet and toes. That strong, fibrous ligament is the plantar fascia.

If you have an inflamed plantar fascia, you will feel sharp pain between the foot arch and heel. The discomfort will make it difficult to raise your toes off the floor, and thus it is felt more when you start walking after a longer period of resting, especially in the morning when you wake up.

You are at higher risk of plantar fasciitis if you are a runner or overweight.

Achilles tendonitis

Also called tendinitis of the heel, Achilles tendonitis occurs when the Achilles tendon suffers an overuse injury.

The Achilles tendon is a fibrous, tough band of tissue linking the muscles in the calf to the heel. If the strength and flexibility of the Achilles tendon are affected, it becomes challenging to run, jump, or walk.

When you have Achilles tendinitis, it is difficult to stand on one toe. Also, you will experience inflammation and warmth in the heel or along the Achilles tendon.

Bursa inflammation

Bursae are tiny sacs filled with fluids that reduce friction between moving parts in the body’s joints. If you overuse your ankles, especially through excessive running, walking, or jumping, you can irritate and inflame the bursae in your foot.

You can also experience foot bursitis if you regularly wear tight or high-heeled shoes and feel dull aching pain, redness, and inflammation in your heel.

Heel spurs

Heel spurs usually result from long-term ligament and muscle strain. Ultimately, the excessive straining of the heel bone leads to the formation of a bony outgrowth, referred to as a heel spur.

Often, you will not feel pain if you have a heel spur. But, if you have pain and discomfort, you may think you have plantar fasciitis.

Heel spurs can form due to frequent running and jogging on hard surfaces, being overweight, having flat feet, or wearing poorly fitting shoes.

Remedies for heel pain

Once your heel pain is severe and affects your movement, your health provider will physically examine your heel and perform necessary diagnostic imaging tests to unearth the underlying cause of the condition, enabling the devising of the right treatment plan.

Usually, your doctor will first subject you to conservative and minimally invasive treatments that can provide relief against heel pain.

You can benefit from orthotic shoe inserts to support the arch, stretching exercises before sleep, medications that relieve inflammation, or applying ice packs after high-impact exercises such as jogging.

Contact Eazy Foot & Ankle today to schedule an appointment with a heel pain specialist to diagnose and treat the underlying problem.