Heel pain is probably a new word to many people and perhaps many people wonder what this disease is? How to treat it? What are the causes of heel pain? Therefore, to help readers understand this disease, in the following article we will share with you related information about them, please read along.
What is heel pain?
Heel pain is an unpleasant condition, described as a sharp, stabbing or persistent pain. It often occurs in the morning or when there is a lot of pressure on the foot (such as walking, running, jumping, etc.). The causes of heel pain can include many different factors and the following are common causes.
Achilles tendinitis
Achilles tendinitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It occurs when the Achilles tendon, which connects the heel bone to the calf muscle, becomes damaged and inflamed due to overuse. Achilles tendinitis is common in athletes, especially those who specialize in long jumps, long-distance running, and sprinting.
Initially, the patient may feel mild pain in the heel or above the heel and sometimes in the back of the leg. The pain will progress over time and often causes a burning sensation in the heel. The pain increases when running and climbing stairs. In
addition, other symptoms of the disease include stiffness in the calf, swelling and discomfort in the heel, warmth in the affected area and limited mobility of the leg.
Achilles tendon rupture
High impact to the back of the leg can strain and tear or rupture the Achilles tendon. This injury often occurs in people who play sports or are involved in motor vehicle accidents.
A ruptured Achilles tendon will cause a loud popping sound and the person will feel tightness and stiffness in the back of the leg and heel. In addition, a ruptured Achilles tendon can cause a number of other symptoms such as being unable to stand on the injured leg, being unable to flex the foot or push off the foot when walking, as well as swelling in or near the heel.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis (plantar fasciitis) is one of the common causes of heel pain. This condition is an inflammation and disorder of the plantar fascia (a band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes, supporting the arch of the foot). Factors that cause plantar fasciitis are mainly due to people who often repeat foot movements or often do strenuous activities, causing pressure leading to tears and inflammation.
Symptoms and signs of plantar fasciitis include:
- Pain in the heel and bottom of the foot. Pain increases over time.
- Pain is worse when getting out of bed in the morning or after resting.
- Pain begins when making movements of the foot.
- Numbness in the feet, swelling, bruising in some cases.
Heel spurs
Heel spurs (also known as bone spurs) are another cause of heel pain. They occur when calcium deposits build up in the arch or heel, forming a hard plaque at the bottom of the heel. Initially, the spurs are small and located at the back and bottom of the heel, but as they grow, they can affect other parts of the foot.
The pain is often described as stabbing or pin-and-needles and is most often felt in the morning or after sitting or resting. In addition to the throbbing pain, patients with heel spurs may also experience the following symptoms:
- Swelling and inflammation in the front of the heel
- Very hot feeling in the affected area
- Heel protrusion
- It is difficult to walk barefoot.
Heel fracture
Heel fractures usually occur when a very strong force is applied directly to the heel or arch of the foot. The heel bone can also be broken by high-energy trauma such as a blow to the foot, such as a fall from a height or from a strain during sports.
When a heel fracture occurs, the patient often feels pain around the heel bone and foot, cannot stand on the toes on the affected foot, and pain increases when increasing pressure on the foot, especially when trying to walk or run. In addition, the patient may experience other symptoms such as swelling, bruising, acute compartment syndrome, and X-rays often show a broken heel bone or small cracks in the bone.
Other causes
There are the following causes that can cause heel pain:
- Sarcoidosis (a disease in which inflammatory cells accumulate in many parts of the body)
- Osteomyelitis
- Bursitis of the heel
- Heel bone tumor
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome (also known as carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Injury causing muscle strain or sprain
- Reactive arthritis in the ankle or joints in the foot
- Overexertion.
Heel pain relief at home
Measures that can relieve heel pain:
Rest
Rest is necessary when the heel is injured to help the body recover and avoid further injury. Patients need to limit activities, not increase pressure on the foot, not walk a lot or stand for a long time. However, to avoid muscle atrophy or stiffness, patients can use crutches to support light walking. After 1-2 days of complete rest, patients should start walking and doing gentle stretching movements, without exerting themselves to support the recovery process.
Ice pack
Heel pain can be relieved by applying ice. Applying cold temperatures can help constrict blood vessels, reducing swelling, inflammation, and pain. To do this, you can place an ice pack on your heel for 15 minutes, 3 times a day. Using this method several times over a few days can help relieve heel pain.
Compression
An effective solution to aid in the healing of foot, ankle and heel injuries is to use elastic bandages, cloth bandages or gauze bandages to compress the injured area. This is especially suitable for people with sprains, strains, Achilles tendonitis, Achilles tendon ruptures or fractures. By immobilizing the injured area, minimizing external impacts and movements can reduce the level of damage and pain. This measure should be performed at night to avoid involuntary movements that cause further damage.
Raise your legs
When your foot is injured, when you are sitting or resting, elevate your foot and place your heel above your heart. This helps reduce swelling and bruising by reducing blood flow to your feet and allowing blood to return to your heart.
Wear suitable shoes
Choosing the right shoes is an important measure to help reduce foot pain, especially when suffering from heel spurs. These patients should choose comfortable, soft, low-heeled shoes to help limit pain and avoid further injury. Heel pads or soft insoles can be used to increase comfort. Tight, tight shoes without heel pads should be avoided, as should barefoot, high heels, or tight pointed-toe shoes to avoid increasing pressure on the feet and heels.
Gentle stretching
To reduce heel pain, patients can do gentle stretching exercises. These exercises help relax joints, increase strength and flexibility of muscles and tendons. At the same time, they help improve pain and limit stiffness caused by prolonged immobility.
Take Paracetamol
Paracetamol can help relieve pain in patients with heel pain that does not improve after 24-48 hours of care. The recommended dose is 500mg/time, every 6 hours while the pain continues. This drug is effective in relieving mild to moderate pain and reducing fever. However, Ibuprofen (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever) should be avoided in the first 48 hours after the heel injury.
Medical treatment
Patients should seek medical attention if the heel injury becomes severe, causes severe pain, or other symptoms appear. Recommended treatment depends on the patient’s condition and may include medication, surgery, and/or physical therapy.
Take medication as prescribed
The medications prescribed should be appropriate to the patient’s level of pain and injury. Here are some common medications used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These drugs have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. They are mainly used for moderate pain, accompanied by inflammation and swelling. Common NSAIDs include Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen.
- Nerve pain medications: For cases of pain caused by tarsal tunnel syndrome, your doctor may prescribe nerve pain medications. These medications help relieve pain by reducing nerve damage and blocking the transmission of pain.
- Steroid injections: Corticosteroids can be injected directly into the heel to reduce inflammation and pain. They are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs and provide short-term pain relief. However, corticosteroids are usually reserved for patients who do not respond to NSAIDs.
Physical therapy
If you have severe pain and difficulty moving, physical therapy is an effective option. By performing stretching and strengthening exercises, patients can regain their health. These exercises help reduce pain, increase mobility, improve flexibility and limit future injury. In addition, other physical therapy methods such as heat, massage therapy, and electrotherapy can also be combined for better results.
Surgery
Usually, when suffering from heel pain, surgery is indicated when:
- Pain associated with bone tumors, osteomyelitis, ruptured Achilles tendon, fracture or breakage of the heel bone, or nerve compression.
- No response to conservative treatment. Pain affects the patient’s quality of life.
- The surgical approach is determined by the extent of the injury. Sometimes, the patient will undergo endoscopic surgery to release the nerve, remove inflammation, or perform open surgery to arrange bones, repair torn tendons, etc.
- After surgery, the patient will recover with physical therapy exercises.
