Your heels hit the ground first with nearly every step you take and they do an excellent job of absorbing the stress and pressure from your full body weight. But sometimes it’s just all too much to absorb, and an injury occurs often causing severe and debilitating heel pain.
Some common causes of heel pain include the following:
- Haglund’s deformity—The “pump bump as it is not so affectionately known, is often caused by tight fitting shoes like high heels. This painful, bony growth appears on the back of the heel in response to the pressure and rubbing caused by the tight fitting shoes. Changing to backless shoes and avoiding high heels can treat and help avoid this injury from happening in the first place.
- Achilles tendonitis— The location where the Achilles tendon attaches to your heel bone is particularly sensitive to injury and will often be where pain and discomfort caused by repetitive stress is first noticed. Allowing the tendon to heel before the injury worsens is essential to avoiding major complications.
- Plantar fasciitis—This condition is infamous for causing heel pain even though it primarily affects the band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. The pain radiates to the heel area and can be particularly noticeable first thing after getting out of bed.
If you are experiencing pain in your heel, see your foot doctor for the proper diagnosis and treatment.
At Podiatry Center of New Jersey, Dr. Russell Samofal treats a variety of conditions such as sports injuries, diabetic foot problems, pediatric foot conditions, toe deformities, arthritis, nail fungus, arch problems and heel pain. Equipped with advanced technologies and a dedicated staff, Podiatry Center of New Jersey provides individualized high quality care for patients all across Morris, Passaic, Bergen and Essex counties.
