How to treat if the heel hurts inside. Excessive stress on the legs due to lifestyle. Infectious diseases and injuries

Heel pain - unpleasant phenomenon, which deprives a person of joy and does not allow him to fully enjoy life. Adults and children can suffer from this problem. Some people are bothered by unpleasant sensations in their feet in the morning, and during the day they only sometimes remind them of themselves. Other people complain that their heels hurt when walking, after running, or at night. What reasons can provoke discomfort in the back of the foot? How to get rid of heel pain using traditional methods?

Reasons why heels hurt

When the heels are constantly or regularly burned with fire, this reduces the quality of life, because with every step a person feels unbearable discomfort and severe pain in the foot. What are the causes of this condition? Why do my heels literally start to burn with pain? The causes of foot pain can be different: chronic pain, infectious diseases, foot injuries, ankle injuries, problems with the tendon above the heel. This phenomenon also sometimes occurs due to external factors, when eliminated, the discomfort in the foot goes away. This:

wearing high-heeled shoes;
staying on your feet for a long time;
rapid and significant increase in body weight;
formation of cracks and calluses on the foot;
depletion of subcutaneous fat reserves in the heel area with sharply increased physical activity, which sometimes leads to pain in this part of the foot.

Pain in the morning after sleep: what could it be?

Why do the heels of my feet hurt in the morning? A common cause of this problem is plantar fasciitis, which often leads to heel spurs. This disease occurs when there is constant trauma to the plantar ligaments caused by wearing tight shoes. Regular and prolonged stay in uncomfortable shoes or boots that constrain the feet does not allow the tendons and ligaments of the arch of the foot to function normally (relax/contract), which provokes the occurrence of microtraumas.

With constant damage to the anatomical structures of the foot, deposits of calcium salts may occur at the points of attachment of the ligaments to the bones. This leads to the appearance of a bone osteophyte (heel spur). If a bump appears on the heel, the pain will bother the back of the foot or be localized on its side. Obesity is also a cause of plantar fasciitis.

As your body weight increases, your feet begin to experience additional pressure. This causes poor circulation in this part of the leg, leading to the appearance of microcracks, the growth of the heel bone and the formation of a lump. Often this disease occurs in patients with flat feet, diabetes, athletes (from intense training) and pregnant women. With plantar fasciitis, sharp pain on the inside of the foot and in the heel area occurs in the morning, and then subsides slightly or completely during the day. Why is this happening?

While you rest at night, the microcracks formed during the day on the inflamed part of the fascia attached to the back of the sole grow together, which shortens their surface. During the first steps after waking up, micro-tears of the ligaments again occur, which causes acute pain. Then the discomfort subsides, but sometimes returns during the day. In the morning, pain on the back of the sole can also be caused by other diseases. Arthritis, caused by inflammation of the tissues of the foot, causes discomfort in the heel after you wake up. Foot massage helps relieve such pain.

It hurts to step on your heel when walking or after running

If a person constantly feels that it hurts to walk due to discomfort in the heel, this may indicate a serious illness or injury. Then, to eliminate discomfort in the foot, it is necessary to correctly diagnose and treat the root cause of this phenomenon. After a long walk, the heels of the feet may “burn” due to developing inflammation Achilles tendon, which is located on the leg above the heel. If rear end The feet hurt constantly or regularly when moving, the following diseases may also be the cause:

Ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis.
Bone tuberculosis, osteomyelitis, reactive arthritis of the joints of the heel bones, which occurs against the background of a genital tract infection.
Plantar fasciitis, tubercular osteochondropathy calcaneus, Achilles tendonitis.
Malignant tumors bones.
Diabetes.
Sprains, tendon ruptures, heel bruise or heel bone fracture, Sever's disease.

Why do heels hurt so much inside during pregnancy?

While pregnant, women often experience foot pain. Unpleasant sensations in the heels are often caused by increasing body weight. expectant mother. During pregnancy, the center of gravity changes (it moves forward), and this can lead to increased stress on the feet and heel pain. As a rule, these problems go away with the birth of the child. Uncomfortable shoes or abrupt change usual before pregnancy high heels Low-top shoes are also a cause of heel pain. Still sharp pain in the heel may indicate salt deposits or a spur.

Causes of pain in a child

Children aged 7-11 years may experience regular heel pain. As a rule, in this case, doctors make a diagnosis of Schintz disease. This disease indicates a violation of the ossification process of the tubercle of the heel bone. It often affects only the heel area of the left or right leg, but more often develops on both legs. The causes of Schinz's disease in children can be: constant pain poor load on the foot, violation hormonal levels or the process of Ca absorption by the body, vascular diseases, heredity, microtraumas in the heel. For of this disease characteristic following symptoms:

heel pain that worsens with movement;
swelling on the heel;
difficulties with flexion/extension of the foot;
promotion local temperature;
lameness;
redness of the skin on the heels.

Which doctor to contact and how to treat

If your heels hurt, consult a neurologist, rheumatologist or traumatologist. A specialist will carefully examine problem area, will ask a series of specific questions to determine the presence or absence certain symptoms. Qualified doctor after installation accurate diagnosis will advise which exercises are best to perform to remove pain syndrome and take medications. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory medications and/or orthopedic shoe inserts to help relieve heel pain.

What to do at home when your heel is cracked

Heel pain is often caused by cracks in the back of the foot. They can appear as a result of lack of regular sole care, lack of vitamins in the body, or metabolic disorders. Uncomfortable shoes are a common factor causing this phenomenon on the heels. How to treat such cracks at home? Folk remedies will help restore the skin. Medicinal plants used for preparing baths and compresses. Here are the most effective ones traditional methods against cracked heels:

Compress with onions. 10 minutes before the procedure. hold your feet in warm water with 1 tsp. soda Chop a small onion and transfer the resulting pulp into a napkin, apply it to the heel, wrap it in film, wrap it with a bandage on top and leave it overnight. In the morning, wash your feet, treat the soles with pumice and spread with rich cream. Perform this procedure on your heels 3-5 times in a week.
Compress with cabbage and honey. Beat a leaf of the plant a little, spread it with honey, sprinkle it lightly with flour and bandage it to the crack in the heel. In the morning, carry out the procedure as described above. The course of treatment is 4 days.
Vaseline for cracked heels. Before resting at night, make a warm foot bath at the rate of 4 tsp. boric acid for 1 liter of water. After this, dry your feet, generously smear the cracks on the heels with Vaseline, and stick a patch on top of the painful areas. Leave it for a day. Do this procedure for your heels every other day for 8-12 days.
Potato bath. Steam your soles before going to bed in a decoction of potato peels or use a bath for this with the addition of 2 tbsp. l. potato starch for 1 liter of water. Then treat your heels with pumice, spread cream on them, and put on socks. Do the procedure until the cracks in your feet disappear.

Heel baths. Combine three liters of hot water with 3 k. ammonia, 1 tbsp. l. soda, 1 liter of decoction/infusion medicinal herbs(chamomile, elecampane, calendula or nettle). Steam your feet for 20 minutes. After this, lubricate your heels salicylic ointment 2% or olive oil, cream.
Heel bath with St. John's wort and apple cider vinegar. Pour 1 tbsp with two glasses of water. l. herbs, boil, cool. Pour in 2 tbsp. l. vinegar. Strain the mixture and add to the water for a foot bath. After the procedure, treat the feet and heels as in step 5.
Flatbread with aloe and onion. Knead the dough with the following ingredients: 1 part aloe, 1 part fish oil, 1 part onion juice, 1 part flour. It should be a cake. It is applied to the heel and secured with a bandage and sock. Leave it overnight, and in the morning remove it, wipe the foot with a decoction of oak bark/calendula tincture.

Folk remedies for treating heel pain

An effective remedy for heel spurs and the pain they cause is Sabelnik tincture. This medicine is sold in pharmacies, but it is not difficult to make it yourself. For treatment take 1 tbsp. l. tinctures and add 1/3 cup of water. Drink the drug three times a day for 2.5 weeks. Then the drops are not taken for 10 days, and treatment with Sabelnik is repeated again. Good healing effect give compresses with this tincture. If your heel hurts, try the following folk remedies:

Baths with salt. Prepare hot solution at the rate of 300 g of sodium chloride per 1 liter of water, and steam your heels in it for 30 minutes. For injuries and osteoporosis, this treatment method is not recommended.
Pour red pepper into a sock, put it on, wear it all day.
Pour vodka (1:1) over dried lilac flowers and leave for 10 days. Rub the resulting tincture on your heels.
Combine 5 g of mumiyo with 100 g of honey, dissolve this composition in a water bath. Apply the resulting product to your heels and feet before going to bed.

Boil the potatoes and mash them with your feet until they cool. After - wash warm water feet and draw a grid on the heels with iodine.
Chop the garlic and apply the resulting mixture to your feet for 4 hours.
Alternately applying heat and cold to it helps to quickly relieve pain in the area of the back of the foot. This procedure is easy to do if you place two bowls with ice and hot liquid next to each other.
Place one egg in a container with vinegar essence and do not remove it for 10 days. Then take it out, peel it, grind it, mix it with 40 g of oil. Rub your feet and heels with this mixture.

Prevention measures

Heel pain brings many problems and significantly impairs the quality of life. These troubles can be easily prevented with the help of special prevention. It includes simple rules, hygiene procedures, correct image life that will help maintain healthy feet. Let's consider the main recommendations of doctors for the prevention of heel pain:

Eat a balanced diet rich in protein and plant components. This will help prevent metabolic failure and the occurrence of diseases leading to heel pain.
Avoid sudden weight gain.
Don't exercise if your heels or feet hurt. If you experience foot pain during exercise, stop exercising.
Wear only comfortable shoes so that they do not put too much pressure on your foot and heel.
If you have previously suffered from heel pain, consult a specialist about the advisability of wearing orthopedic insoles.
Don't forget about regular foot and heel care with special means.
Massage your feet daily, including stroking your feet and heels.

Pain in the heels is not always associated with diseases or injuries. Sometimes their reasons are due to physiology, and turn out to be the most banal.

For example:

If you feel pain in your heel when walking, it may mean that you are wearing heels that are too high for you.
Painful sensations in this area can also be triggered by a decrease in subcutaneous fat under the surface of the sole, especially if you suddenly significantly increased your physical activity: it turns out that the heels seem to have “lost weight.”
Your heels may become sore after walking for a long time or after... long standing on foot.
If you have recently gained extra pounds, are pregnant, or are diagnosed with obesity, your heel pain may be due to: overweight.

Inflammatory diseases

Plantar fasciitis

If painful sensations appear mainly in the morning, after sleep (pain can manifest itself both on both at once, and, for example, only on right leg), and intensify when walking, it is likely that this is - plantar fasciitis(also called plantar).

This disease is an inflammation of the ligament that connects the heel to the bones of the midfoot. The fascia of the sole is a connecting strip that serves as support for the arch of the foot, as well as its shock absorber.

The cause of fasciitis, as a rule, is microtrauma - micro-tears of the fascia, which may or may not be accompanied by inflammation. Most often, injuries occur in places where the fascia attaches to the heel bone.

During the night, during sleep, the injured fascia regenerates a little, grows together and shortens. In the morning, after the first steps, micro-tears are repeated again, and this causes new torment. It is plantar fasciitis that causes severe morning pain in the heel area, which often become quieter as the day goes on.

Heel spur

Sometimes plantar disease is accompanied by a heel spur, which is a small bony growth that forms behind or under the heel.

If the injury leads to inflammation of the Achilles tendon (located above the heel) or the site of attachment of the fascia to the heel bone (under the heel), the growth of new tissue cells is stimulated, subsequently dying and gradually accumulating.

These accumulations turn into spurs. Painful sensations in the presence of a heel spur can have a fairly wide range: from the strongest, in which it is even painful to step on the heel, to completely unnoticeable, asymptomatic.

Such growths can appear on both feet at once, but more often the spur is localized only on one of them - for example, on the left foot (or only on the right).

Purulent bursitis

This purulent inflammation bursa joint The development of bursitis is often preceded by mechanical injury. During the disease, an inflammatory process develops: the heel turns red, swells and is very painful. If you touch it, you can feel the warmth.

Over time, the swelling of the heel increases, and if the disease is not treated, the swollen area can become dense.

Tendinitis (inflammation) of the Achilles tendon

Excessive stress on the feet, the desire to wear shoes with too high heels and change into slippers in the evenings, a love of long runs - all of the above can provoke Achilles tendinitis. In this case, it hurts at the bottom of the ankle, near the heel. Here there is redness of the skin, swelling, locally elevated temperature. It becomes difficult to stand on your toes and jump.

Malignant tumors

At the beginning of the disease it is felt slight pain in the heel area. Further, with the development of the disease, the pain in this place intensifies, a soft or dense swelling forms (depending on the type of tumor). A network of enlarged blood vessels is sometimes observed above the swelling.

Heel tumors grow fastest in childhood, in adults they increase more slowly. However, in both cases similar symptoms - urgent reason for a visit to the doctor!

Injuries

Tendon sprain or rupture

Such an injury can occur either as a result of a direct blow to the leg, or as a result of a sudden spasm of the lower leg muscles. First, a sharp pain is felt in the lower back of the leg, then the heel swells.

The feet bend and straighten with difficulty, and if a rupture occurs, plantar flexion-extension becomes impossible. Also, when a tendon ruptures, the ability to walk is often lost.

Injury

Occurs during sudden strong impact on the heels, for example, if a person jumped from a height and landed unsuccessfully. The blow causes burning pain and leads to further inflammation.

Fracture

If you have a broken heel, it is very painful to step on your foot, almost impossible. The foot changes its shape and appearance, because the heel moves to the right or left, as if curled to one side, the foot itself swells, bruises and blood are visible on the sole.

The foot becomes inactive or immobile, its flexion and extension is impaired.

Sever's disease or calcaneal apophysitis

This is a growth disorder bone tissue the back of the heel bone, where the Achilles tendon attaches to it.

The heel bone does not ossify immediately from infancy, this process lasts several years, so it is in childhood that it is more likely to get Sever's disease. Children aged 9-14 years who play sports are most susceptible to this disease.

Race walking, running, jumping further increase the pain of this disease. There is a feeling that the heel is on fire, and swelling occurs around it.

Systemic diseases

Ankylosing spondylitis

Chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease spine and joints. The main consequence of this disease is ossification of the spine, which becomes inflexible and immobile. Sometimes the heels begin to hurt first, as a result of which it becomes very unpleasant for a person to stand on hard surfaces.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This serious disease affects the joints, causing them to hurt, swell and lose mobility. Among others, the joints of the foot are also affected.

At first, the most pronounced pain manifests itself in movement, but later, over time, the pain is felt even in sleep, and it is so strong that it can wake you up. Rheumatoid arthritis is also accompanied by painful fatigue, lack of appetite, and increased fatigue.

Gout

Joint disease caused by salt deposits uric acid. Attacks of the disease usually occur at night, during sleep, when a person wakes up feeling acute pain. The affected joint swells and changes color to red-brown. If you lightly touch it at this moment, it will be very painful and hot.

The joints of the feet are also susceptible to gout, so people suffering from it often experience pain in the heels.

Infectious diseases

Reactive arthritis

This disease overtakes a person as a consequence of any infection suffered previously, for example, infection genitourinary system or gastrointestinal tract. This subtype of arthritis is not an infectious disease of the joints; it is a consequence of infection affecting other organs of the body.

Painful sensations in the heels with reactive arthritis appear constantly. They can be felt most acutely at night, in a dream. The course of the disease is characterized joint pain, conjunctivitis and pain in the lower abdomen.

Tuberculosis (bone)

During the course of the disease, the bone substance seems to melt, and individual areas of the skin die. The lesion then extends to further surface areas of the body. In bone tuberculosis, purulent fistula or an open cavity, but after a few weeks the disease may stop, going into remission.

Osteomyelitis

The disease is caused by bacteria that provoke the development of a purulent-necrotic process both in the bone itself and in soft tissues heels. The affected heel begins to hurt almost instantly, and the body temperature rises to 39-40 degrees.

The painful sensations are as if the heel is bursting, burning, drilling from the inside, and it is simply impossible to walk. These sensations are difficult to confuse with others. The heel swells, the skin on it becomes very red, and the veins in the legs expand.

Let's see a doctor!

What to do if your heels hurt? If the pain is acute, burning, the skin in the peri-heel area turns red, swelling appears, and either local or general temperature, the heel swells, shifts to the right or left side of the foot, bruising is observed, skin necrosis occurs, it is difficult to stand on your toes, your feet do not bend - a visit to the doctor is inevitable!

And the sooner you do this and begin to treat what caused this unpleasant symptom disease, the better!

Which doctor can help? For an initial examination, make an appointment with a therapist or surgeon. Further, depending on accompanying symptoms, the doctor may refer you to another specialist for treatment. They can be: an orthopedist, a traumatologist, an oncologist, a phthisiatrician, a neurologist.

If the cause of the pain is a bruise, apply cold to the heel area - ice or a special cold pack. You need to keep it for 15 minutes every hour 3-4 times. Then you can rub anti-inflammatory ointment into the bruised heel, and if the bruise is severe, it is highly advisable to make an appointment with a doctor (general practitioner or surgeon).

Prevention of heel pain

What can I do to prevent pain in my heels from reoccurring after treatment?

As a preventive measure, it is enough to follow simple rules:

To fight with overweight, because it increases the pressure on the heels.
If you have flat feet, after consultation with your doctor, choose orthopedic insoles.
Wear comfortable shoes made from natural materials with heels no higher than 5 centimeters. Shoes with no difference in instep height are not recommended.
Massage your feet regularly (either on your own or visit a massage therapist).
Maintain a sufficient level physical activity during the day (swimming pool, physical education, walks in the fresh air).

Video: Common Causes of Heel Pain and Exercises to Treat Fasciitis and Heel Spurs

It must be said that many people experience pain when stepping on the heel, at least sometimes. But few people consult a doctor, since after a while the pain usually subsides. The person believes that everything has passed, does not worry and continues to live an ordinary life.

And completely in vain. Of course, the heel can become sore from a bruise, blow, or poor foot rest, especially if the shoes are high-heeled. But you need to understand that in the absence of injury, pain in the heel when stepping can be caused by a number of serious diseases that may subside for a while, but without adequate treatment they will return again with renewed vigor.

Let's look at the causes of pain and briefly outline the diseases that cause it:

Heel spur

The disease is a growth that forms on the heel bone due to chronic inflammation of the fascia of the sole. The painful sensations that arise in this case are quite strong and painful. The pain is especially severe in the morning, after waking up. There is also pain when walking, although not as severe.

Bursitis

These diseases cause inflammation of the tissue that runs along the foot. It connects the heel bone and the toes. The inflammatory process is characterized by gradually increasing pain, which is felt especially strongly in the morning. It can be soothed by massaging the foot, but after some time, usually when stepping on the heel, the pain returns.

Fasciitis of the sole

The disease develops in the process long-term wearing tight, uncomfortable shoes. As a result, an inflammatory process of connective tissue develops in the area of the sole of the foot. Inflammation often provokes the appearance of heel spurs.

Rheumatoid arthritis, gout

These diseases cause chronic inflammation joints, due to disruption of metabolic processes in the body. They are characterized by painful sensations in the heels, which do not go away day or night without appropriate treatment. Moreover, with arthritis, the pain becomes the most severe.

Inflammation of the Achilles tendon

During development inflammatory process Achilles tendon, a person feels pain on the top side of the heel or just below it, on the side of the sole.

Other reasons:

Painful sensations in the heel when stepping often occur with prolonged or regular wearing of high-heeled shoes and due to increased load on the ligaments and tendons with varying degrees of flat feet.

The pain may be a result of bone bruising and subsequent inflammation of the surrounding tissue in the heel area.

Of course, to determine the exact cause of the pain, you need to carry out
examination, in particular, ultrasound, take an x-ray of this area. Therefore, you should not delay this, but consult a surgeon, traumatologist or orthopedist.

Some tips for pain

If your heel is very sore and painful to step on, you can use these recommendations:

If severe pain occurs, apply ice to the sore area, or place your foot in a
cold. For 5 minutes, massage the heel with a piece of ice several times over 2 days.

After 2 days of such treatment, begin to alternate cold with thermal procedures. For example, first apply cold to the sore spot for 10-15 minutes. then remove the cold, wait 15 minutes and apply to the sore spot warm compress(heating pad) for the same time. Carry out this procedure 1-2 times a day.

On the advice of your doctor, purchase an orthopedic insert that is inserted into your shoes. This device relieves pain and often even eliminates the disease itself.

Do not forget to knead your sore heel every day, only carefully and gently. Such
procedures train tendons and make them more elastic. In addition, try to reduce the load on your feet, get more rest, and wear low heels.

Try this for heel pain folk remedy: grate 3-4 cabbage stalks on a fine grater, place in a bowl, pour boiling water over it, cover with a thick cloth, let it cool a little. Then dilute with water to an acceptable temperature, lower your feet and steam them for 20 minutes.

If a heel spur is diagnosed, it will help onion compress: Pass the peeled head of garlic through a press. Mix the resulting pulp with 0.5 tsp. vegetable oil, place it on a thick cloth, apply it to the sore spot, wrap it in polyethylene, put on a sock. Keep the compress for no more than 3 hours to avoid possible skin burns.

You can try to cure your heel with onions. Grate 1 cup on a medium grater onions, place in a tight plastic bag. Place your foot in this bag with onions, wrap your foot tightly, bandage it, put on a sock. The compress can be kept all night. In the morning, simply wipe your foot with a dry towel. No need to wash.

Useful to relieve pain foot baths with strong saline solution. To do this, dissolve 3-4 tbsp in 1 liter of hot water. l. sea salt. The duration of the bath is no more than 40 minutes. After that, dry your skin with a soft towel, put on warm socks and go to bed.

Although pain can be relieved with these simple methods, the disease, if it exists, will not go away and will definitely make itself felt after some time. Therefore, make an appointment with a specialist anyway. Be healthy!

Heel hurts, it hurts to step on, how to treat it - one of the common problems, especially among women. At improper treatment You can harm yourself. Therefore, when you are planning to start treatment on your own, without the help of a specialist, read the medical information and only after that apply the treatment methods in practice.

The causes of pain in the heel area can be very different. Let's look at the most common of them:

Arthritis is the process of inflammation in the tissue that runs along the foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes. In this case, the pain increases over time. The peak of pain occurs in the morning when it begins. When you stand for a long time, the pain intensifies again. When the leg becomes hypothermic, the inflammatory process inside the tissue intensifies, and the pain becomes stronger. It is almost impossible to stand on your toes with arthritis; a sharp, acute pain immediately appears.
Inflammation of the Achilles tendon. If your legs, especially your heels, hurt while walking, this may indicate an inflammatory process in the so-called Achilles tendon. With the Achilles tendon, the source of pain is located under the heel on the side of the sole or above it.
Reactive arthritis - sexually transmitted infections. They can cause pain in the foot area. The inflammatory process of the heel tendons can provoke the presence hidden infection. With this type of arthritis, heel pain is constant. The pain may not subside even at night.
Plantar fasciitis- compacted formation in connective tissue. By constantly wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes, you can thereby cause an inflammatory process in the sole area. Plantar fasciitis can cause heel spurs to form due to salt deposits in the area of inflammation.
Heel spur - chronic process inflammation of the fascia of the sole. Often, a growth on the heel causes severe pain. Sharp pain occurs in the morning, while getting up, then by lunchtime it decreases. However, after long-term condition rest, for example, if you sit for a couple of hours, it intensifies again, causing even more suffering. The soles of the feet with a spur need to reduce the pressure of body weight, so for this purpose, be sure to wear soft slippers at home.
Reactive arthritis - sexually transmitted infections can cause pain in the feet. The inflammatory process of the heel tendons can provoke the presence of a hidden infection. With this type of arthritis, heel pain is constant. Even at night the pain may not subside.
Constant stress on the foot structure as a result of wearing high-heeled shoes long time can also cause pain in the foot area.
The heel bone experiences additional stress due to the increase in body weight in a short period of time, so excess weight is one of the causes of heel pain.
Overexertion of the feet associated with long walking and other stress also provokes heel pain.

If your right or left foot for no apparent reason, it is imperative to take measures to stop the inflammatory process in time. You must first find out the causes of the disease.

It should be remembered that although some people treat any pain using only advice traditional medicine, consultations and appointments of a specialist should not be ignored. Whatever the cause of the inflammatory process in the heel area, do not follow traditional medicine methods without a doctor’s recommendation and do not use steam baths for your feet. If you use such methods, you will not only harm yourself, but also increase the pain inside the foot. Warm compresses also increase the inflammatory process. Do not use alcohol or mustard compresses under any circumstances.

In this case, iodine mesh is also useless and destructive. In this case, it can only burn tissue.

If you still have a steam bath or a warm compress for your toga and you have a large red spot or a slightly swollen leg, you should not treat it yourself at home, but seek help from a doctor.

Some simple recipes in order to relieve pain at home before seeking qualified help.

Take an anti-inflammatory tablet. This will not only relieve pain for a certain time, but will also have a neutralizing effect on the inflammatory process in the foot area.
Be sure to rub in some inflammatory ointment (Nise, Ketonal, Fastum-gel, etc.) at night.
In case of severely disturbing pain, place your foot under an ice stream, shower, or simply apply a piece of ice to the area of inflammation for half an hour.

For 1 hour, make a compress with Demixide and Novocaine. In order to make a compress, you will need sterile cotton wool, foil or a regular plastic bag, a bandage and solutions of Demixide and Novocaine. Mix 30 mg of Demexide solution with 50 mg of Novocaine. Moisten cotton wool with the resulting solution and apply to the site of inflammation. Then wrap your leg with foil or polyethylene and secure the compress with a bandage.

The relatively inexpensive gel Dicloran Plus will also provide effective assistance. It is enough to apply it at night, on the foot and put a sock on the foot. Or you can make a compress with it for half an hour, wrapping your leg and cling film. Don't worry about the burning sensation, but remember not to leave the compress on for more than 30 minutes.

Kuznetsov applicator. Despite much skepticism, Kuznetsov’s applicator is capable of having a great healing effect on the feet. Standing on a mat (Kuznetsov applicator) allows you to dull the pain and stimulate nerve impulses. It is especially good to stand on it in the morning, immediately after waking up, when the peak of pain in the legs is noted. If the pain intensifies while using the applicator, then you should not use it.

Shock wave therapy is the most successful method that will gradually help relieve pain symptoms in the heel. SWT helps relieve inflammation, get rid of bone growths and improve blood circulation in the affected area. In order to sign up for UVT procedures, the doctor will ask you to take general analysis blood, serological analysis(rheumatoid factor) and x-ray of the foot. Based on the results of the research, you will be prescribed the required number of procedures. Remember that it is not recommended to undergo the shock wave procedure more than 14 times, since calcium in the bone is destroyed under the influence of the shock wave. If your clinic does not have UVT, you can replace this procedure with ultrasound, ultraviolet light, UHF therapy and magnetotherapy.

Be sure to give yourself a massage in the morning. By stretching the tissues of the foot, you improve its blood circulation. The pain rate after sleep is reduced due to the manipulation.

If you play sports, especially dancing or running, you need to postpone training for an indefinite period of time or choose gentle ones. physical exercise(swimming, Pilates, yoga). If you do not give up the load, the inflammatory process in the foot will only intensify.

If the cause of your heel pain is quickly acquired weight, go on a diet and do Pilates, yoga or regular walking. Your legs, like the rest of your body, suffer from accumulated fat mass. Joints and connective tissues They are not yet so accustomed to your new build, so the weight puts pressure on them. In this case, you should definitely give up high heels and wear more comfortable shoes to reduce the pressure on your foot.

Under no circumstances should you wear high-heeled shoes if you have any inflammation in your feet. You should not wear such shoes even if you are of normal weight. While you have an inflammatory process, it is recommended to wear shoes with heels that do not exceed 5 cm. By following these recommendations, you will thereby relieve the stress on your heels.

For prevention, orthopedists advise purchasing orthopedic shoes or insoles. Let orthopedic shoes Not everyone will be delighted, but the insoles will not be conspicuous to anyone, and you will feel lightness on your feet while walking. You can order orthopedic insoles at any pharmacy or specialty store. While you are waiting for insoles to be made for your feet, you can purchase gel insoles at any shoe store and walk with them. The effect, of course, will not be immediately noticeable, however, thanks to the softness and texture, you will relieve stress and immediately feel relief in the first hours.

There is a whole set of exercises that have a positive effect on strengthening the tendons, joints and tissues of the foot:

Cycling is an exercise that is familiar to all of us from childhood. Lie on your back, legs parallel to the floor, arms along your body. Start imitating riding a bike with both feet. Do the exercise as correctly as possible: with each rotation of your leg, stretch your toe and heel.
Path of health. It is best to purchase special rugs or collect small pebbles. Lay out pebbles or spread a rug and walk back and forth along this health path for 10 minutes, 5 times a day.
Take a small ball, maybe a children's ball or a tennis ball, and start rolling it alternately with both feet.
Remember your physical education lessons at school: start walking in a circle, first standing on your toes, raising your arms, then placing your hands on your hips, start walking on your heels. Then start walking on the outside and inside of your feet. When racing walking, be sure to do the exercise in special shoes.
Place small objects (buttons, beads, etc.) in front of you and, using your toes, begin to lift them from the floor. Efficiency this method is that when performing this exercise upper sections The ligaments of the foot begin to actively move, thereby increasing their flexibility and improving blood circulation.

Recommended to practice physical therapy even in the absence of such symptoms. Only this is best done in sneakers and other sports shoes with thick soles. It is necessary to use such shoes in order to provide shock absorption. Often a large number of injuries and inflammation occur due to the fact that a person performs a set of exercises without shoes or in shoes that do not provide shock absorption. Czech shoes are not the most suitable type of shoes for active activities sports.

Drastic ways to treat spurs

Unlike other causes of foot disease, spurs can be eliminated quickly and easily.

Removal of spur growths on the foot has long been carried out using a laser.

Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor and carried out under his supervision, because despite the general harmlessness of the laser, it has a great effect on the body. Along with this, the procedure has a large number of contraindications. The spur itself is not removed using a laser, but the laser acts on the tissue around it, relieving pain and reducing swelling, resulting in the foot getting rid of acute pain when walking or standing for a long time.

In cases where neither laser nor other above methods help, surgical method removal of the spur.

Unpleasant discomfort in the heel bone area is caused by a number of reasons and especially difficult cases entails loss of the ability to fully move. Therefore, if it hurts to step on your heel, you should not delay
visit to the doctor because this clear symptom may indicate the development of pathology in acute form. It is the doctor who will answer the question of why the pain occurred and what is the cause of this disease. Without professional approach Self-treatment can result in severe complications.

Heel pain that occurs while walking or at rest often bothers many people. Patients who have crossed the forty-year mark are more prone to the appearance of this syndrome.

Experts primarily associate such phenomena with age factor, contributing to the development of diseases of bone mass and connective tissue, to which this particular category of patients is susceptible.

Heel pain is most often caused by diseases such as:

manifestation of arthritis of various forms;
bursitis;
inflammation in the Achilles tendon (tendenitis);
heel spur;
calcaneal injuries.

Unpleasant discomfort in the foot and heel bone is not necessarily the result of a serious pathology. Young women may experience severe heel pain due to improperly selected shoes or the presence of high heels. To get rid of painful sensations in this case, it is enough to wear shoes with comfortable lasts and the discomfort will go away by itself.

Let's take a closer look at why similar diseases, and what treatment is required in each specific case.

Manifestations of arthritis

Unpleasant sensations in the heel area can be caused by rheumatoid or reactive arthritis. Most dangerous disease is considered a rheumatoid pathology because it is autoimmune in nature. It means that the immune system own cells identifies foreign inclusions and tries to destroy them. The result similar action is the constant presence of an inflammatory process in the attack zone.

It is this reason that causes severe pain in the area of the heel bone. The process is accompanied by destruction of bone tissue and further damage to the lower extremities.

As for the reactive form of the disease, it has infectious nature. The reasons for its occurrence lie in the presence viral infection in organism. In addition to acute pain, reactive arthritis may be accompanied by redness skin and swelling of tissue in the affected area.

Arthritis is manifested by the following main symptoms:

temperature increase:
acute pain in the area of the inflammatory process;
state of apathy;
stiffness of joint joints;

Treatment of rheumatoid and reactive arthritis consists of prescribing antibacterial therapy for the reactive type and antirheumatic drugs for the rheumatoid form. Also, to relieve the patient from pain, you will need to take painkillers. It may be necessary to prescribe anti-inflammatory and glucocorticoid drugs.

The symptoms that arise with bursitis have all the classic signs of inflammation:

there is swelling at the back of the heel of the tissue;
the inflamed area turns red;
palpation of the heel causes pain;
an increase in temperature is felt in the inflamed area.

As a rule, inflammation begins unexpectedly and is accompanied by sharp pain, which increases even with slight movements. On the heel you can feel one very painful point, around which the main symptoms of bursitis appear.

IN curative therapy Bursitis usually includes:

ensuring rest of the sore limb;
applying a tight bandage;
taking antibiotics;
introduction special drugs(hydrocortisone, Kenalog-40);
physiotherapy;
puncture (for purulent bursitis).

The main symptom of tendonitis is constant pain in the calf and heel bone area. Its increase usually occurs in the morning, when the patient gets out of bed and tries to load the leg as usual. Treatment of this pathology is aimed at stretching calf muscle, by relieving tension in the tendon ligament. For this purpose, the patient is prescribed a course of massage and physiotherapy. At severe inflammation may need to be treated with antibiotics.

The disease is the formation of a spiky growth on the heel bone, which gradually takes the form of an osteophyte in the area where the ligaments connect to the foot. More often similar pathology occurs with general flat feet or excessive overstrain of the foot.

External symptoms when heel spur usually absent. Painful sensations can only occur when walking, which resemble a prick with a nail or needle.

Severe pain most often bothers the patient in the morning, and during the day it may not be felt at all. As evening approaches, the pain intensifies. As the disease progresses, the pain becomes constant, and the patient has to use a cane or crutches to move around. The spur is usually discovered after an x-ray of the ankle.

Treatment of this pathology includes:

unloading the heel area;
physiotherapy aimed at softening bone growth;
injection of corticosteroids into the affected area;
shock wave therapy;
surgical removal of bone growth.

Osteoporosis

Severe heel pain may also indicate the development of a disease such as osteoporosis. This pathology characterized by a decrease in bone density, including the heel bone. The destructive process begins when bones necessary for bones are washed out of the body. minerals, which leads to nutritional deficiencies.

Depletion of the body usually begins after 35 years. The insidiousness of this disease is that it is hidden and can manifest itself in an unexpected way. As for the occurrence of heel pain, it occurs due to the loss of the spine’s basic functions and redistribution of the load.

The main reasons contributing to the development of osteoporosis are:

late menstruation;
too much long period lactation;
early menopause;
eating disorders;
bad habits.

Treatment of the disease will primarily be aimed at replenishing reserves nutrients, and especially calcium. For this purpose, the patient is prescribed special vitamins and preparations containing calcium and vitamin D. It will also be necessary to take medications that promote enhanced bone formation and slow down the resorption of bone tissue.

Calcaneal injuries

Due to the fact that the heel zone accounts for maximum amount load, this becomes the main cause of frequent heel injuries.

Damage to the tendon ligament. The injury usually occurs after a powerful blow to the tendon or during a strong contraction muscle tissue shins. The patient may feel sharp pain in the Achilles tendon area, after which swelling gradually forms in this place. If the integrity of the tendon is compromised, the tear can be felt through the skin.

It most often appears after an unsuccessful landing from a height on the feet and causes inflammation in the tissues adjacent to the heel. The patient may complain of a burning sensation and pain in the heel bone area, as if a nail had been “stuck into it.” When you try to lean on your foot, there is a sharp increase in pain.

Heel fracture. Similar injuries can be observed after a fall on the heels, which causes the transfer of gravity through the shin bone to the talus bone. The talus pierces the heel bone, splitting it apart. Heel deformation can occur either externally or internally. inner side. In this case, the area under the heel begins to swell and bruises form on it. Any movement of the foot in this case is extremely difficult. Read about it in the article located at the link.

Epiphysitis of the calcaneus. The second name for this disease is Sever's disease. Pathological condition occurs after the apophysis of the heel bone separates from its body before the process of ossification (ossification) is completed. The disease affects adolescents aged 9-14 years who play sports professionally. Pain occurs when running, fast walking, or when trying to stand on tiptoes.

In this case, you can notice how swelling forms in the damaged area. There are also some restrictions on the mobility of the calf muscle. Treatment involves wearing a special pad under the heel, which promotes healing of the damaged cartilage. In particular severe cases A plaster cast is applied to the foot.

As you can see, heel pain can have various reasons. Therefore, in this case, it is better to exclude self-medication and consult a doctor for help.