How to treat Heel Pain?
Heel pain is one of the most common foot problems experienced by patients. It is usually felt as an intense pain when the affected heel is used. This pain may increase after periods of inactivity such as sitting down for long periods of time. There are numerous reasons and conditions that could cause heel pain so it is always important to get assessed by either a chartered physiotherapist in order to diagnose your pain.Heel pain can affect anyone but tends to be more common in individuals who are middle aged, physically active such as runners, overweight, pregnant or an individual who stands for long periods of time. Heel pain may be caused by injury to the tendons, ligament or fat pads. In some cases it is due to the presence of a bone spur.
Common causes of heel pain
The most common sources of heel pain include conditions such as achilles tendinopathy, heel spur, pinched nerve and plantar fasciitis.These injuries are generally caused by poor biomechanics, ill-fitting shoes, running or jumping on hard surfaces, increased running distance and intensity over a short period of time, trauma to the heel area. Heel pain is also more common in those who are overweight and suffer from diabetes or arthritis.In the majority of cases, heel pain is a biomechanical problem or a result of wearing poorly fitted shoes. For the majority of runners who have issues with heel pain they often find that their running shoes are not correct for both their feet or running style hence putting pressure on the pads, muscles and bones structures of the lower leg and foot.
How is heel pain treated?
Depending on the reason behind your pain, a chartered physiotherapist will provide you with appropriate exercises that will assist in treating the root of your heel pain.A charted physiotherapist may also carry out a comprehensive biomechanical assessment. This would be especially beneficial for individuals who are active runners as it will asses how you run.In some cases, it may be necessary for an individual suffering heel pain to wear orthotics, which will provide increased stability and help correct alignment issues when walking or running, correct alignment issues and support the forefoot.Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic, our clinic director, Aileen MaGuire is experienced in prescribing orthotics and treating heel related pain issues. If you have any questions regarding heel pain or wish to book an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us here.