Treating Your Heel Pain

Do you still have heel pain even though you've been staying off your feet as much as possible? When heel pain disrupts your life, your Centreville, VA, podiatrist, Dr. James Hurst of Centreville Foot & Ankle can offer a variety of helpful treatments. Here are just a few of the conditions that can cause heel pain.

Plantar Fasciitis

You may have plantar fasciitis if you experience sharp, stabbing pains in your heel. Pain is usually worse first thing in the morning and when standing or walking after you've been inactive for a while. The pain occurs when the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that connects your toes to your heels, becomes inflamed.

Treatment: Your podiatrist may prescribe orthotics, custom shoe inserts that reduce pressure on your heel, provide extra cushioning, and realign your foot. He may also recommend that you wear night splints while you sleep to keep your foot in a neutral position. Stretching exercises and corticoid steroid injections can also be helpful. If your pain continues for longer than six months, surgery may be an option.

Achilles Tendonitis

Inflammation is also the cause of heel pain if you have Achilles tendonitis. The condition affects the long, skinny tendon at the back of your heel that connects the heel to the calf muscles.

Treatment: Your Centreville foot doctor may suggest physical therapy to strengthen your muscles and reduce pain. Wearing orthotics in your shoes will ease pain and pressure when standing and walking, while steroid injections may be helpful if pain relievers don't do enough to control your pain. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy or even surgery might be recommended in severe cases that don't respond to other treatments.

Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia, commonly called a stone bruise, can occur if you step on a rock or another hard object or run or exercise in worn-out or unsupportive shoes.

Treatment: Although stone bruises can be quite painful, they usually go away on their own in a week or two. If your pain lingers, your podiatrist may recommend adding heel cups to your shoes for your comfort.

Heel Spurs

A heel spur is a calcium deposit that forms on the bottom of your heel bone. The spurs can cause pain when walking and standing and may be more likely to occur if you've had plantar fasciitis or gait problems, wear worn-out shoes, are overweight, or participate in activities that involve running or jumping.

Treatment: Painful heel spurs can usually be treated with orthotics, steroid injections, and physical therapy. If these treatments aren't helpful, surgery to remove the heel spur may be needed.

Are you struggling with heel pain? Call your podiatrist in Centreville, VA, Dr. James Hurst of Centreville Foot & Ankle at (703) 830-3338 to schedule your appointment.