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Heel pain

Heel pain is an extremely common complaint, and there are several common causes. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause. Some common causes of heel pain are:

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is the most common condition encountered by the podiatrists. Plantar fasciitis is due to irritation or inflammation of the tight tissue (plantar fascia) that forms the long arch of the foot. Common symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain in the mornings or standing from a period of sitting/rest. The pain is usually felt at the inside of the heel which can progress over a long period of time or begin due to an injury.


Sever's Disease or Calcaneal Apophysitis - Heel Pain in Children

Heel pain in children is generally caused due to inflammation at the growth plate of the heel (pictured to the left). This can be a very painful condition and children often complain of pain during or after exercise. The early diagnosis of this condition and appropriate treatment can mean a pain free child much sooner.


Heel Spurs

Heel spurs can be caused by prolonged pulling of a tendon on bone. The most common spurs we encounter are pcitured to the left. Sometimes the heel spurs can be associated with Achilles Tendonitis or Plantar Fasciitis, so any underlying conditions should be addressed when creating a treatment plan. Pain can be with prolonged weight-bearing and sometimes pain when resting also.