Heel and Arch Pain

Plantar Fasciitis

When you get up in the morning and are greeted with a sharp, stabbing pain in your heel, plantar fasciitis is the likely explanation. This common overuse injury stems from inflammation in the band of fibrous tissue—your plantar fascia—that runs along the bottom of your foot.

Achilles Tendinitis

Pain in the back of the heel that accompanies physical activity may very well be a condition known as Achilles tendinitis. As with plantar fasciitis, this is an overuse injury and is particularly prevalent in patients who have recently started a workout program or suddenly increased their levels of duration or intensity for running.

Pump Bump

Technically known as “Haglund’s deformity,” pump bump gets its apt nickname from the fact that it is commonly experienced by women who wear high heels. This condition is marked by a bony protrusion on the back of the heel and the resulting pain when pressure is applied to the area.

Sever’s Disease

Sever’s disease is a condition often experienced by growing boys and girls, particularly those who are active, between the ages of 8 and 13. The primary symptom is pain in the heel area that is caused by irritation in one of the growth plates in the foot. If your son or daughter doesn’t complain about pain, but starts to back away from favorite physical activities, this might very well be the explanation.

Physical Trauma

Another reason that you or a family member may be experiencing heel or arch pain is simply physical injury. When the heel is hit with substantial physical trauma, it could lead to bruising or even a fracture that causes sharp pain when you walk.

How Is Heel Pain Treated?

When you experience pain in your arch or heel, take comfort in the fact that conservative care is often quite effective in treating these conditions. Surgery may be required in some cases, but those are rather rare. The specific care we provide will naturally depend on the issue that is affecting you, but medication, physical therapy, orthotics, exercise, and change in footwear may be enough to provide the relief you need.

Can Heel Pain Be Prevented?

The good news when it comes to heel and arch issues is that many are preventable. We want you to avoid painful conditions from happening in the first place, so be sure to:

• Choose shoes that fit you properly, provide adequate arch support, help absorb shock, and are comfortable. The right pair of shoes is essential for preventing a wide range of foot and ankle issues, so always be careful when buying new footwear.
• Avoid the problems and issues that come with overtraining by using cross-training. Swap some of the days you would normally perform high-impact activities with ones that feature low-impact exercises. Swimming, bicycling, and yoga are great exercises to incorporate into your workout program.
• Always warm-up and stretch properly prior to physical activity.
• Avoid the temptation to do “too much, too soon” when it comes to starting a new workout program. Instead, make a gradual progression in your levels of intensity and the duration of your workouts.

Keep in mind that heel and arch pain are never normal and should be examined. When you experience discomfort or pain in your feet or ankles, contact A Step Up Podiatry, LLC, and make an appointment with our Manalapan Township, NJ office. Give us a call at (732) 446-7136 or use our online form today.