Constant sharp pain in the heels. In order to quickly relieve heel pain is necessary. Choosing the right shoes

The heels are an integral part of the foot. They consist of bone and a soft layer of fat. This structure helps the legs to withstand significant loads that occur when walking and running. Heel tissues relieve the pressure that appears during movement and protect against possible injuries spine. Together with the foot, they act as a shock absorber.

The heel bone is filled with blood vessels, nerve fibers and tendons, increasing the sensitivity of this part of the foot to external injury. It is easy to damage it, and, as a result, pain will be felt when walking. Great chance injuries are largely due to anatomical structure heels

It hurts to step on your heel in the morning after waking up

Heel pain in the morning is a common occurrence. Painful sensations appear immediately after sleep. All you have to do is get out of bed and unpleasant pain covers almost the entire foot. You have to walk on tiptoe because stepping on your foot completely is painful.

The pain gradually goes away, but may return after prolonged sitting or lying down. The unpleasant syndrome makes itself felt immediately after a person steps on his foot.

The reason for this condition is plantar fasciitis . Heel pain is the main symptom of this disease. In most cases, painful sensations are caused by inflammatory and degenerative changes occurring in the plantar connective tissue membrane - fascia.

Reasons contributing to negative processes:

• Foot overload. It occurs when:
  • wearing shoes, sandals or boots without heels;
  • significant and rapid growth motor activity;
  • constantly being on your feet, this is due to the type of production activity;
  • rapid gain of additional kilograms.
• Flat feet, in which the arch of the foot drops and the plantar membrane is overstretched. The result is microtraumas that cause pain.

Inflammation of the fascia can become chronic over time. This process leads to calcium salts being deposited in the area of ​​inflammation. Gradually forms bone spur- heel spur. It causes pain, especially unpleasant in the morning.

It hurts to step on your heel: possible reasons

The causes of painful sensations can be grouped into several groups.

I. Systemic ailments:

• Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease) – chronic inflammation joints and spine. The cause of the disease is hostility immune system human to the tissues of ligaments and joints own body. The vertebrae become fused with one another, and the spine ceases to be flexible and mobile. Often, heel pain is the first symptom of the disease. It is so painful that it makes it impossible to stand on a hard floor.
• Rheumatoid arthritis– one of the most severe joint ailments. It occurs with multiple complications. The painful syndrome initially appears only during movement. When inflammation increases, painful sensations can wake you up at night and disturb you until the morning.
• Gout. This metabolic disease is characterized by the accumulation of urate crystals in the form of uric acid. Acute pain appears in the joints. They become red, hot and swollen. Gout most often affects the joints thumb on the lower extremities, spreading pain to the heel bone.

II. Injuries:

• Injury calcaneus , which is subsequently accompanied by inflammation of neighboring tissues. Feels under the heel burning pain as if she had been pierced by a sharp arrow. She becomes unbearable when trying to stand on her injured leg.
• Calcaneal fracture. Pain syndrome occurs in the area of ​​injury. The heel is deformed inward or outward. The entire foot swells and becomes covered with small hematomas. It’s impossible to step on your foot: the pain doesn’t allow it.
• Tendon rupture or sprain. It is better not to bend the sole: the sensation is very painful.
• Sever's disease (calcaneal epiphysitis). The disease manifests itself in the form of micro-tears of connective tissue fibers in the area of ​​the heel bone. I am worried about pain on the lateral and back surface of the heel. It can be felt when palpating the foot, but mainly occurs during active movement.

III. Inflammatory diseases:

• Bursitis– inflammation that appears after injury or constant mechanical irritation of the limbs. It happens that visible reasons There are no bursitis. The disease is characterized by all the classic signs of inflammation: redness and swelling of the heel, pain when touched. If inflammation becomes chronic, the skin thickens.
• Achilles tendonitis. A provoking factor in the development of inflammation is too much stress on the calf muscles. The skin temperature rises, the heels swell and turn red. The inflamed tendon can rupture, making a characteristic bursting sound.

  You cannot do without emergency medical care.

IV. Infectious diseases:

• Tuberculosis of bone. It begins with necrosis of large areas of skin or melting of bone matter. Infectious process covers a significant area, provokes the formation purulent fistulas. After a few weeks, it may stop and the person will go into remission. But more often the disease leads to limb deformation and lameness.
• Reactive arthritis. The disease is provoked by urogenital and intestinal infections, occurring in a latent form. Heel pain does not only occur during walking. They often disturb you at night. At the same time, the pain is quite strong and more unpleasant than in the daytime.
• Osteomyelitis of the calcaneus– a purulent-necrotic process caused by bacteria. It develops into bones and bone marrow, covers the surrounding soft fabrics. The pain is sharp and boring, bursting from the inside. They intensify with the slightest movement. The heel becomes red and swollen.

V. Other diseases:

• diabetes;
• malignant neoplasms;
• tibial nerve neuropathy.

Only a doctor can diagnose a specific disease. It is necessary to contact a rheumatologist or traumatologist. You may also need to consult a neurologist, surgeon, or oncologist.

Therapy for heel pain

After passing the examination, the specialist prescribes complex therapy. Its composition depends on the cause of the pain.

To reduce pain and prevent it, you should use the following recommendations:

• Pay attention to selection the right shoes. It may be more expensive, but more convenient and comfortable. The most acceptable heel height is 4–5 centimeters.
• In the presence of excess weight you should work to get rid of it. Excessive kilograms overload the muscles of the feet.
• Do some exercise for your legs. It involves flexing and straightening your feet for two or three minutes. It is best to do exercises while sitting. It's nice to roll a massage ball bare feet, try to collect some small objects with your toes.
• If possible, walk barefoot on sand and grass.

Treatment of heel pain with folk remedies

Many tips traditional medicine effectively help reduce painful sensations. Here are some methods:

• Contrasting foot baths. You need to prepare two vessels: one with warm water, the other with cold water. The feet should be dipped into them one at a time and held for several minutes. Then wipe your feet dry and put on cotton socks.
• Relaxing baths. IN warm water(4–5 liters) add 100 grams sea ​​salt and a teaspoon pine extract. Immerse your feet in the bath and hold for a quarter of an hour. The second way to carry out the procedure: chop the cabbage stalk using a grater and pour boiling water over it; leave to brew for half an hour and add a little hot water. You should keep your feet in this bath for about twenty minutes.
• Turn 0.25 kg of orris root into pulp. Fill it with the same amount of vodka and leave it in dark room for a couple of weeks. The tincture is used to prepare compresses: moisten a bandage, apply to the heel and wrap it with plastic wrap. In the morning, remove the bandage. It is necessary to use compresses with iris for at least twenty days in a row.
• Prepare a mixture of honey and mumiyo. The components should be dissolved in the following quantities: 2 tablespoons of honey (tablespoons) and 5 grams of mumiyo. Homemade ointment should be used to lubricate your heels before going to bed.

Propolis, black radish, lilac flowers, garlic, and potato pulp are also used.

Folk remedies can be used in parallel with taking medicines and carrying out procedures prescribed by the doctor.

The simple methods described above can only temporarily relieve discomfort. In order for heel pain to stop bothering you, you need to diagnose the cause of the problem. Only a specialist can do this.

It hurts to step on - people come to the doctor with this problem quite often. It is quite possible that someday you will experience this pain too. Many people, if their heels hurt, postpone treatment. I must say, they do this in vain. Many people wait almost six months until severe pain forces them to go to the doctors. People forget that the heel is constantly loaded, and if it is also injured, it simply cannot recover on its own.

The heel hurts, it hurts to step on - patients complain, unfortunately, knowing very little about the structure of this important part of the body. What is a heel? In fact, this is the most ordinary shock absorber. It consists of a fatty layer and is the largest of all the bones of the foot. It can withstand enormous loads when walking and running. The point is that this bone is also spongy, it is penetrated by blood vessels and nerves.

Many nerves pass from there to other areas of the foot. It is precisely because of the large number of nerve endings that the heel is very sensitive spot.

It is very easy to damage the heel. Heel pain, the causes of which are tears or inflammation of the connective tissues, is a very common occurrence.

This disease is known as It is not only the heel that hurts, but the pain also radiates to other areas of the body. In addition, the heel may hurt for other reasons. For example, due to the fact that the person was wearing uncomfortable shoes. Or because a person has biomechanical problems when running. This may also be a consequence of inflammation of the tendons or banal rheumatoid arthritis.

The heel hurts, it hurts to step on - what to do in this case? Considering that the heel is a vulnerable part of the body, if it is sick, you need to send your feet to a specialist’s office. Only this person can tell you what exactly your problem is. Only then will you be assigned the only correct treatment. Although, I must admit that the heel cannot be cured quickly. After determining the diagnosis, you need to be patient. And treat.

It is worth paying attention to a few tips that will help you if your heel hurts and it hurts to step on it.

If you feel it for the first time, you need to place your foot in the cold. At least for the first two days. Take a small ice cube and massage your foot with it. It doesn’t take long, about 5 minutes, until it starts to go numb. This procedure should not be carried out once, but at least several times a day. After two days, cooling procedures will need to be alternated with warming ones. First, apply ice to the sore spot for 15 minutes, then pause for a short period of time, and then apply a warm heating pad there for 15 minutes. It will be enough to carry out this simple procedure once a day.

Of course, you will also need to take pills. Any anti-inflammatory drugs. For example, Ibuprofen. Or anything else, depending on what the doctor recommends to you.

You can use a special heel support, which will make the load on the heel more even. An excellent way to combat such a problem would be an orthopedic device - an insert, which, when installed in shoes, will significantly reduce pain over time, and then, perhaps, eliminate the cause of the disease altogether. In addition, such a device will eliminate other existing problems. Of course, the heel needs to be warmed up. After all, if the tendons are not elastic enough, they can cause pain. And if you knead them, you will get rid of the problem. It is advisable, if possible, to reduce the load on the legs, at least for the duration of treatment.

If your heel hurts, then you need to work on it and you should start by visiting good specialist, who will accurately determine the diagnosis and then prescribe the appropriate treatment.

The human foot, along with the spine, withstands enormous loads throughout the day.

There are many factors that can negatively affect the basic functions of its structural elements and cause heel pain, ranging from uncomfortable shoes to serious damage to the musculoskeletal system that require long-term treatment.

This symptom can be isolated or accompanied by external signs of the inflammatory process, fever, and a feeling of general intoxication.

All this forms a single picture of the disease, which allows the doctor to quickly determine the diagnosis and prescribe effective scheme therapy.

The heel bone is the largest structure in the foot. It bears the main load when walking, running, or lifting weights. The largest Achilles tendon is attached here, providing mobility of the heel relative to the lower leg, the longitudinal plantar fascia, which supports the arch of the foot in an elevated state and other structures of the musculoskeletal and muscular system. Therefore, improper or excessive load, microtraumas can cause inflammatory changes, resulting in heel pain.

In general, the etiological factors for the development of hindfoot discomfort include: various lesions its main structures are:

• the heel bone itself, it is susceptible to pathological changes against the background of various diseases affecting bone tissue;
• epidermal layer, consisting of a layer of rough skin and subcutaneous tissue, performs protective function, its thinning leads to increased load and damage to bone and cartilage tissue;
• blood vessels, a number of diseases can cause problems with blood supply, oxygen delivery and nutrients;
• synovial bursae, the inflammatory process in the surrounding tendon attachment sites can also cause quite severe pain in the heel;
• nerve endings, their irritation and damage are accompanied by severe discomfort;
• ligaments and tendons, injuries and microdamages to these structures are the most common cause of discomfort in the foot.

All diseases that can cause heel pain can be divided into two large groups. The first includes pathologies and injuries that directly affect the structure of the bone and cartilage tissue of the foot.

The other includes numerous systemic diseases, accompanied by metabolic disorders, blood flow, and intense inflammation. Such disorders in one way or another affect the structure and function of the cells of the muscles, ligaments, cartilage and bones of the foot.

In addition, heel pain can provoke improper distribution to the ligaments and bones of the foot, caused by a strong increase in body weight during pregnancy, endocrine pathologies, and poor diet. Sometimes sharp, tugging pain impulses occur when wearing narrow, constricting shoes or shoes with very high heels. Similar symptoms can occur during prolonged walking, running, or after a whole day of standing on your feet without rest.

Acute pain often occurs after severe bruise, injuries, falls from a height, fractures of the foot bones. With appropriate treatment and adherence to the regimen, such lesions disappear without any special consequences.

To diseases that directly affect the bone and cartilaginous structures of the foot, ligaments and tendons without pronounced systemic violations, include:

• Heel spur (the “scientific” name for the pathology is plantar or plantar fasciitis). A very common disease that results from inflammation plantar fascia, connecting the phalangeal region of the foot with the heel. The pathology is characterized by the formation of a growth on the heel bone and cutting pain, which occurs when stepping on the foot, especially in the morning, and resembles the nature of a nail prick.
• Inflammation (tendinitis) or strain of the Achilles tendon. It is what connects the foot and lower leg muscles and provides mobility when walking. As a rule, achillesitis is characterized not only by pain in the heel, but also by swelling and discomfort in the heel. back side feet just above the heel bone.
• Haglund's deformity. Symptoms of the disease occur due to the formation of a growth on the back of the heel bone. Sometimes the pathology occurs without a pronounced clinical picture, but is noticeable externally in the form of a compaction.
• Tarsal carpal tunnel syndrome. The cause of this pathology is inflammation of a large nerve located in the lower leg area.
• A crack or fracture of the heel bone occurs as a result of strong blow. In addition to throbbing pain, bruising, swelling and redness are noticeable in the sole area.
• Sprain of the ankle ligaments located on the side of the heel bone. In this case discomfort appear when moving the affected foot.
• Schinz's disease (osteochondropathy of the calcaneal tuberosity). Etiology similar disease not fully installed. It is believed that due to heavy loads, blood flow disturbances or chronic infections, necrotic processes begin in various parts of the spongy calcaneus.
• Bursitis of the synovial bursae of the tendons of the foot. It is accompanied by exudate and swelling, which causes heel pain. Unlike many other diseases, the symptoms of this pathology intensify during sleep.
• Oncological lesions of the calcaneus. The clinical picture is not limited to cutting pain in the sole area. As a rule, the patient is worried and systemic symptoms, manifested in the form of intoxication, sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, etc.
• Epiphysitis of the calcaneus. Occurs in children under 14 years of age, which is associated with changes in the structure of the foot. The main cause of this disease is insufficient calcium intake, wearing flat-soled shoes without arch support, and intense physical activity.
• Osteomyelitis. Evolving in the background infectious lesion bone tissue heels. The disease begins with a burning sensation in the back of the foot and the formation of ulcers. Over time, heel pain intensifies, becomes permanent and bothers the patient both at rest and when walking.

No less often among people who apply for medical care with complaints of chronic or sudden pain impulses on the inside of the foot, systemic pathologies are diagnosed. This:

• Circulatory disorders resulting from diabetes, atherosclerosis and other diseases of cardio-vascular system. Impaired microcirculation is accompanied by a decrease in the thickness of the fat layer surrounding the heel bone, destructive changes in bone and cartilage tissue, and innervation disorders.
• Arthritis. In such diseases, heel pain occurs as a consequence of systemic inflammation. connective tissue, and this problem affects almost all joints.
• Gout. It occurs with severe metabolic disorders and salt deposition in various organs and tissues, including joints. As a result of such changes, gradual destruction of cartilage occurs, which is accompanied by cutting or dull pain.
• Tuberculosis of the calcaneus. It occurs as a secondary complication of a pulmonary infection caused by the corresponding pathogen with a severely weakened immune system.

There are many more different autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that affect various joints. But they rarely cause heel pain, “preferring” intervertebral discs, knees, elbows, phalanges of fingers. The localization of discomfort and its severity vary. In some pathologies, symptoms occur in the morning, or after a long rest in a sitting or lying position.

In other cases, heel pain is permanent. Therapy methods similar pathologies are different. But in most cases, doctors recommend wearing special insoles (orthoses), painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications for oral and external use, physiotherapy and special exercises. Sometimes heel pain can be treated with folk remedies at home.

Heel pain, painful stepping: special cases of similar symptoms

In some cases, already by specificity clinical symptoms a specialist can make a preliminary diagnosis. For example, intense pain in the heel, when it hurts to step on immediately after waking up, indicates damage to the plantar fascia.

The fact is that microdamage and the inflammatory process in this tendon that supports the arch of the foot subside during long rest. And when a person gets out of bed and leans on the sore leg, the load again provokes acute pain. More famous name such a problem is a heel spur.

Over time, inflammation of the tendon progresses, causing disturbances in calcium metabolism and the formation of growths on the heel bone. This further aggravates the situation and leads to severe acute pain when pressing on the foot. Treatment heel spurs quite long. Moreover, if ointments and various physical procedures do not have an effect, surgical intervention is necessary.

If you experience heel pain, pain after a long walk or run in the vast majority of cases is a consequence of tendon strain, infectious or systemic inflammatory processes.

Excessive load on cartilage tissue and ligaments causes irritation of nerve endings and the appearance of unpleasant painful sensations varying degrees expressiveness. If such symptoms occur as a result of a sprain, they disappear after some time and without treatment. However, connective tissue lesions require close medical supervision even during remission and long, often dangerous side effects therapy.

Trauma to the calcaneus is almost always accompanied by severe pain. It occurs immediately after the impact and intensifies over time. The situation is aggravated by tissue swelling, which is the result of a hematoma of the subcutaneous tissue. For quite a long time, the leg bothers me so much that it is almost impossible to step on it.

If a foot bruise is accompanied by intense pain in the heel and it is painful to step on, you should consult a doctor and take an x-ray to rule out a fracture or crack in the bone.

To eliminate such symptoms, ointments and gels are not enough. Doctors prescribe painkillers, put on braces, and strongly recommend strict adherence for several days (and sometimes weeks). bed rest without allowing any stress on the sore foot.

The heel bone hurts: the possible nature of such manifestations, diagnostic methods

The intensity of discomfort in the back of the foot can vary. Moreover, this depends not only on the strength of the inflammatory process, but also on the individual characteristics of the patient. For example, when diabetes mellitus microcirculation and sensitivity of nerve endings are disrupted, so even if the heel bone hurts quite intensely, a person can only feel severe discomfort.

Unpleasant sensations occur:

• acute, which is characteristic of a pronounced inflammatory process, injury;
• pulling or constraining, which most likely indicates arthritis, osteochondropathy and other connective tissue lesions;
• accompanied by tingling or numbness, such symptoms usually indicate that pathological process nerve endings involved;
• occur in parallel with swelling and hematomas, which is typical for fractures and bruises of the heel bone, bursitis;
• be accompanied erosive lesions skin, for example, with osteomyelitis caused by the entry of pathogens from the outside;
• occur with an increase in temperature, which usually indicates a systemic infection.

The location where the heel bone hurts is also of great importance. The occurrence of discomfort closer to the arch of the foot is often a symptom of inflammation of the plantar fascia.

Diffused unpleasant sensations, especially against the backdrop of stress and long walking, usually arise due to banal overwork and uncomfortable position of the foot in shoes. If your heel bone hurts in the back, this may indicate an Achilles tendon strain.

Sometimes the impulses radiate to the middle of the heel and become more intense as the foot moves.

A similar clinical picture characterizes epiphysitis. However, with this disease, discomfort is felt after waking up. If the heel bone hurts on the side, especially in combination with tingling, the problem most likely lies in the lesion nerve fibers. Although such symptoms sometimes occur when the tendons surrounding the ankle joint. Diagnosis of various diseases that cause discomfort in the foot area requires an integrated approach.

When it is unclear clinical picture(for example, plantar fasciitis can be identified during the initial examination) a general and biochemical blood test is prescribed to identify specific markers of the inflammatory process.

If autoimmune pathologies are suspected, additional highly specialized studies are necessary. An ultrasound and x-ray of the heel bone, joints and tendons of the ankle are also performed.

If necessary, measure bone density. If you suspect cancer They do a special scan aimed at identifying metastases.

Inflammation of the heel bone: first aid, traditional medicines and preventive measures

The main drugs for pain relief are NSAIDs. If symptoms are relatively mild or there are contraindications to oral administration For such tablets, the use of ointments and gels is recommended. Movalis, Nise, Nurofen and their analogues have proven themselves well.

You can improve microcirculation and stop inflammation of the heel bone using local irritants based on bee venom, natural or synthetic hot pepper extract, snake venom. It is recommended to apply ointments such as Capsicam, Viprosal, Espol, Finalgon, Deep Hit, Bom-Benge to the affected area of ​​the foot. To increase the effectiveness of treatment, wear a warm wool sock after using the drug.

Ointments are applied 2-3 times a day, duration of therapy is up to 10 days. If there is no effect, you should consult a doctor.

After consulting a doctor, it is possible to use corticosteroids, electrophoresis, laser exposure, analgesic blockade (they are done in the hospital under aseptic conditions) and other methods to remove inflammation of the heel bone. During treatment, it is necessary to ensure a reduction in the load on the sore leg (if possible, maintain bed rest). An excellent addition to basic drug treatment are orthopedic insoles and heel supports, which can be ordered and purchased at a specialized store.

It is necessary to choose appropriate shoes with arch support, thick soles and a small, stable heel. For sprains, the foot is wrapped elastic bandage, grasping the ankle joint and Achilles tendon.

When bandaging, it is necessary to fix the instep and plantar fascia in a physiological position.

Also, inflammation of the heel bone can be removed using quite simple exercises. While sitting, reading, or watching TV, it is recommended to roll a tennis ball with your foot. Excellent result gives the use of massage rollers and Kuznetsov applicator.

You can improve the elasticity of the plantar tendons as follows. Take a large towel and fold it lengthwise several times. You need to sit on a chair, stretch your leg in front of you in a half-bent position, place the middle of the towel just above the arch of your foot and pull the fabric towards you with your hands.

To stretch ligaments and tendons and improve microcirculation, you can lift small objects with your toes. In some cases, inflammation of the heel bone and tendon strain can be done using folk remedies. For example, mix a teaspoon of salt and the white of one egg. This paste is rubbed into the sore spot.

You can also chop green stems and leaves of Jerusalem artichoke at the rate of 35-40 g per liter of water and boil for half an hour. The affected foot should be steamed in the resulting decoction. The peeled onion must be passed through a meat grinder and mixed with a tablespoon of honey and the same amount of grated laundry soap.

Stir, leave for an hour and apply to the heel overnight, covering the top with cling film and wearing a warm sock. But if traditional medicine or anti-inflammatory ointments do not bring results, you need to make an appointment with a surgeon. After the examination, he will either prescribe therapy himself or give a referral to a consultation with an orthopedist or traumatologist. However, first of all, the doctor excludes disorders associated with neurology.

To prevent inflammation of the heel bone, you need to be careful when choosing shoes, especially if the work involves standing on your feet for a long time. If you are overweight or have a predisposition to damage to the structures of the foot, you need to use special insoles.

Everyone experiences unpleasant sensations on the plantar part of the foot from time to time. Some people are bothered by them extremely rarely, for example after a long walk in uncomfortable shoes. For others, foot pain between the heel and toe occurs frequently or constantly. In any case, you should know that unpleasant sensations do not appear just like that, but for some reason. To find out why it occurs between the heel and toe when walking or at rest, you need to see a doctor and undergo diagnostic procedures. In some cases, to eliminate the discomfort, it is enough to just change your shoes, in others, surgical intervention will be required. Therefore, it is very important to find out the cause of unpleasant sensations.

What to do if there is pain in the foot?

The foot is the part of the leg that comes into contact with the surface when walking. It consists of many bones, joints and ligaments. Also to ensure motor function and supporting the arches there is plantar fascia and muscles. In addition, this part of the body contains adipose tissue. It is needed to help the bones and ligaments support the weight of the body. If pain occurs in the foot between the heel and toe, then the cause of its occurrence may be any of the anatomical formations. Unpleasant sensations appear when bones, ligaments, muscles or fascia are damaged. Pain also occurs under the influence external factors affecting the foot ( incorrect position feet, squeezing shoes). For the unpleasant sensations to stop, it is enough to get rid of such irritants. If the pain in the foot does not go away after this, it is necessary to look for other reasons for its occurrence. IN in this case you should seek medical help.

Pain in the foot between the heel and toe: causes

There are many etiological factors which can lead to pain in the foot area. Among them: injuries skeletal system, stretching muscle tissue, inflammatory lesions, pinched nerves, etc. Also, pain in the foot between the heel and toe can be caused by joint pathologies. In addition, discomfort is often associated with poor circulation. It can be either temporary (when the foot is compressed) or permanent. The most common are considered following reasons development of unpleasant sensations:

1. This disease develops as a result of improper walking - excessive turning of the foot inward (pronation). The fascia of the sole consists of connective tissue, it starts from the heel and ends in the area of ​​​​the metatarsal bones. Incorrect gait (pronation) occurs when the plantar ligaments become stretched. People susceptible to fasciitis are often overweight or undergo heavy physical activity (running, long walking over long distances). The disease can also be inflammatory in nature.
2. The appearance of a heel spur. Pain in the foot between the heel and toe with this pathology is very intense. This disease is a consequence of plantar fasciitis.
3. Metatarsalgia is pain that occurs due to age-related changes in the foot.
4. Inflammation of the joints of the sole - arthritis.
5. Flat feet. This violation usually occurs early childhood. The cause of improper formation of the foot is often rickets - a lack of calcium in the child’s body.
6. Injuries. These include fractures and cracks of bones, dislocation of joints.
7. Obesity. Overweight often leads to the development of abnormal gait and flat feet.
8. Excessive stress on the foot.
9. Wearing tight and hard shoes. Also, prolonged exposure to high heels can cause discomfort.
10. Pathologies of blood vessels and nerves.

Foot pain due to heel spurs

A heel spur is a hard lump that appears on the tendons of the foot. It consists of bone tissue. Having appeared, the spur begins to gradually grow. This disease is one of the most common causes of foot pain. develops due to severe stretching of the plantar fascia. In addition, excess weight is considered to be the cause of its appearance. With a small size of the formation, the patient is bothered by pain in the foot between the heel and toe in the morning - after the person gets out of bed. Also, unpleasant sensations occur after sitting for a long time. If the heel spur has reached big size, the pain bothers me constantly. It is present not only when standing up and leaning on the leg, but also when walking.

Flat feet and foot pain

Another cause of pain is flat foot. This pathology It is often asymptomatic, but is sometimes accompanied by unpleasant sensations. The mechanism of development of this disease is the lowering of the arch of the foot down towards the sole. Most often, this pathology occurs in childhood, when the leg is just developing. However, pain in the foot between the heel and toe with flat feet can also appear in an adult. Provoking factors are obesity and physical activity. Calcium deficiency in osteoporosis also contributes to the development of pathology.

Relationship between foot pain and physical activity

Often, unpleasant sensations in the sole can be caused by physical activity. For example, after running or long walking, some discomfort occurs. The cause may be plantar fasciitis. That is, pain in the foot between the heel and toe after running occurs due to sprained ligaments. Sometimes it goes away on its own. But with constant physical activity, the ligaments do not have time to return to normal. In this case, fasciitis of the sole develops. In addition, pain after exercise can be caused by dislocations of the small joints of the foot. Another reason is inflammation and muscle inflammation. Also, unpleasant sensations often occur when blood circulation in the foot is impaired. Vascular lesions are often associated with varicose veins veins of the lower extremities and pathologies of the hematopoietic system.

Clinical picture of foot diseases

In addition to foot pain, each of the diseases mentioned above is accompanied by a number of other symptoms. Inflammatory processes in the muscles are manifested by redness and If the pain is caused by a pinched nerve of the foot, then the patient may be bothered by unpleasant sensations in the form of “shooting” in the arch of the foot or sole. Bone injuries are always accompanied by limited movement. When a heel spur appears, pain accompanies every contact of the sole with the surface. You can also feel a hard formation if you press on the foot. When the joints are dislocated, a protrusion appears on the back side. Arthritis of large and small joints of the foot is characterized by signs of inflammation. Among them: swelling, hyperemia and increased temperature at the site of the lesion.

Diagnosis for foot pain

Diagnosis of foot pathologies begins with interviewing the patient. The doctor asks how often the patient is bothered by unpleasant sensations, after which they appear, and to what he associates the onset of pain. If the survey revealed that there was a leg injury, fractures and dislocations should be excluded. To do this, an x-ray of the bones of the foot is performed. If the patient is overweight or indicates frequent physical activity, you should pay attention to the patient’s gait. In this case, plantar fasciitis is often diagnosed. A heel spur is identified on an x-ray. Vascular diseases are diagnosed using ultrasound of the arteries and veins of the lower extremities. Nerve pathologies appear when pressure is applied to certain areas of the foot. Calluses and ulcerative defects on the feet indicate wearing tight shoes.

Pain in the foot between the heel and toe: how to treat the pathology?

The choice of treatment method depends on what is causing the foot pain. In cases where unpleasant sensations bother only periodically or are associated with physical exercise, must be observed correct mode. First of all, it is important to pay attention to shoes. If it causes discomfort, then you need to change it. If you have flat feet, you need to purchase special orthopedic insoles. It is equally important to organize rest for your legs. To do this, it is recommended to reduce physical activity and eliminate running for a while. If these measures do not lead to positive result, you need to seek the help of a specialist. For injuries and heel spurs, you should visit a surgeon. After examining and identifying the cause, he will prescribe drug treatment, and in some cases will recommend surgery. Sometimes the help of a neurologist is required. To relieve discomfort, painkillers are prescribed: Ketonal, Nise. For inflammation of the joints, medications “Artoxan” and “Diclofenac” are indicated. Treatment of neurological pathologies is carried out with the drugs “Melbek”, “Neurobeks”. Also, in some cases, massage procedures are necessary.

Traditional medicine against foot pain

In addition, you should use traditional methods to relieve pain in the foot between the heel and toe. Treatment with infusions and decoctions will not get rid of the cause of the pathology, but will help alleviate unpleasant symptoms. In addition to the reception medicines inside, it is recommended to make various lotions, as well as foot baths. They are made from leaves linden color and mint (in equal proportions), nettle, plantain. After infusion, the broth is poured into a basin of water, where the feet should be kept for about 15 minutes. These procedures help relieve inflammation and relieve pain. Compresses made from honey and raw potatoes are also used.

Prevention of foot pathologies

To prevent foot pain, you must follow the following rules:

1. Wear comfortable and soft shoes.
2. Give your feet a rest after a long walk. To do this, you should take foot baths with water at room temperature and massage your soles.
3. Avoid excessive physical activity.
4. Conduct
5. If you suspect a foot pathology, do not delay it, but immediately seek medical help.

Heel pain causes significant inconvenience to a person, because he needs to walk every day, and this ailment seriously affects the quality of life. This problem is widespread among the elderly, athletes and pregnant women. To get rid of pain, you first need to find out the reason that caused this unpleasant symptom.

Main causes of heel pain

Causes not related to illness

• Overweight. If you have suddenly gained weight, this may well be the cause of heel pain.
• Pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, her weight increases by 8-20 kilograms. Naturally, such a significant increase impairs blood circulation and can provoke the occurrence of pain syndrome.
• Excessive physical activity.
• Wearing not the most comfortable shoes or high-heeled shoes (for women).
• Staying on your feet for a long time (for several hours in a row).
• Atrophy of subcutaneous fat tissue in heel area. This phenomenon can occur with sudden weight loss or with excessive physical activity.

Inflammatory diseases

• Heel spur. This is a foot disease manifested by inflammation of the aponeurosis, the function of which is to maintain the longitudinal arch of the foot. The result is the formation of a bony protrusion on the heel. Inflammatory process often spreads to surrounding soft tissues, causing their deformation.
• Bursitis. In this case, the periarticular bursa of the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed, resulting in pain and swelling.
• Inflammation of the Achilles tendon.

Spurs on their heels (video)

Systemic diseases

• Ankylosing spondylitis. This disease is characterized by an inadequate response of the immune system, when leukocytes destroy cartilage tissue, perceiving it as foreign.
• Gout. With this disease, the joints become inflamed due to the accumulation of uric acid salts.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. This disease also affects the joints, with the lower extremities being predominantly affected.
• Psoriatic arthritis.

Infectious diseases and injuries

• We are talking about intestinal (salmonellosis, dysentery) and urogenital (ureaplasmosis, chlamydia) diseases, which can occur in a latent form and lead to reactive arthritis.
• Bone tuberculosis.
• Osteomyelitis of the calcaneus. With this disease, purulent-necrotic processes develop in the bones and surrounding tissues.

In addition, heel pain can occur due to osteochondrosis of the spine (especially lumbar region), flat feet and the appearance of neoplasms.

Why does heel pain occur (video)

This video discusses possible causes of heel pain, citing several specific pathologies as examples.

Classification of diseases (depending on the nature of the pain)

The reason lies in trauma and inflammation of deep-lying tissues.

Most often, this is the occurrence of a heel spur. At the beginning of the disease, pain is more disturbing in the morning and during the first half of the day, then it can decrease and resume in the evening. As the process progresses, the pain becomes more intense and becomes permanent.

Sometimes there are cases of pain when trying to step on the heel, caused by damage to the sciatic nerve.

These pains usually occur due to damage to the plantar fascia or due to wear and tear of the tissue. This can happen due to bursitis or a fracture of the heel bone.

Such pain can be caused by infectious diseases (urogenital, intestinal, osteomyelitis, bone tuberculosis).

Callus on the heel

Plantar and bone calluses can cause significant discomfort and noticeable pain.

A plantar callus is a yellowish lump on the heel caused by excessive friction between the heel and shoes while walking. Pain syndrome develops after infection and development of the inflammatory process.

A callus forms on the bone tissue of the heel. The pain will be sharp and unbearable. This type of callus can be treated surgically.

Diagnostics

Concerning laboratory research, then first of all the patient is prescribed general and biochemical tests blood. IN general analysis you need to look at the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the level of leukocytes, and the presence of signs of anemia. In biochemistry, uric acid levels are assessed, since exceeding normal values ​​will help diagnose gout.

If reactive arthritis is suspected, doctors may order additional microbiological tests. For example, taking a scraping from the urethra to detect urogenital infections.

If there is a suspicion of tumor formations, it is necessary to conduct an analysis for tumor markers.

Probably one of the main diagnostic methods prescribed for heel pain will be X-ray examination . As a rule, in the pictures you can see signs that will be characteristic of each type of pathology.

In case of suspected osteomyelitis or bone tuberculosis, performing needle biopsy.

puncture bursa done if there is a suspicion of bursitis.

Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging are needed to identify tumors.

Densitometry– allows you to study bone density.

Osteoscintigraphy– performing a bone scan to detect fistulas, necrosis or metastases.

Treatment

This may include non-drug, drug, surgical and traditional methods. Most methods are aimed at relieving swelling, inflammation, pain and are suitable for treating the most various diseases. But we must remember that each individual disease requires an individual approach and specific treatment.

Non-drug treatment

• Wise choice of shoes. If you choose the right and comfortable shoes, this is the key to the health of your feet. Women are not recommended to abuse high heels, ideally the heel height is 2-5 centimeters.
• Therapeutic exercises for the feet (rolling a small ball, exercises for stretching ligaments).
• Massage.
• Use of instep supports and thrust bearings. Their function is to ease the load on the heel and protect against impacts. They are sold in pharmacies and orthopedic stores.
• Alternating ice massage with heating. After pain occurs, do this massage several times a day. The duration of the procedure is five minutes. Then you need to take a short break and put the heating pad on the sore spot for the same amount of time.
• Wearing orthopedic insoles.

Drug treatment

• The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs both internally (Ibuprofen) and externally in the form of ointments (Fastum Gel, Diclofenac).
• Performing a blockade with Lidocaine and Diprospan.
• Treatment of calluses requires the use of special patches with acids (lactic, salicylic).

Therapy for bursitis requires rest, the application of a special splint, and sometimes a puncture is necessary to rinse the synovial bursa.

Systemic diseases require the use of medications: anti-inflammatory drugs, cytostatics, and gold preparations.

For gout, medications that reduce the concentration of uric acid (Thiopurinol, Milurit) must be included in the therapeutic course.

Treatment of infectious diseases is carried out with the help of antibiotics aimed at combating the microorganisms that cause the disease.

To treat bone tuberculosis, of course, you will need anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Surgical treatment

The endoscopic option is undoubtedly more preferable. Its undeniable advantage is a short recovery period.

Traditional treatment

• Garlic. You need to prepare garlic paste and apply it to the heel area for three hours.
• Black radish. Compresses are made from grated radish and applied to the sore spot, after which they are insulated with plastic film and woolen cloth.
• Hot salt baths. Bath time is half an hour.
• Horseradish root compress.
• Compress made of honey and capsicum.
• Compresses made from raw potatoes.

A child’s heel hurts: causes and treatment

The peak incidence is observed in the autumn due to the start of school classes and various sections (football, gymnastics, choreography and other sports).

Injuries

• Heel bone fracture. As a rule, it occurs as a result of falling on your heels or an unsuccessful jump. Characteristic symptoms– pain (varies from moderate to unbearable), swelling of the heel area. An X-ray examination is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
• Bruise, sprain. Such injuries often occur as a result of outdoor games, sports, or running.

Sever's disease (epiphysitis)

This disease is caused by a rupture of the cartilage tissue between the heel bone and the apophysis. The risk group is teenage boys and children living in the Far North (due to a lack of vitamin D). A characteristic symptom is severe redness of the heel and swelling.

Achilles bursitis

This pathology occurs due to inflammation of the heel bursa and can be caused by wearing uncomfortable shoes. Characteristic symptoms are pain when walking, swelling of the heel. Treatment of Achilles bursitis - rest, physiotherapeutic procedures (UHF, magnet), medicinal compresses, sometimes - applying a splint.

Haglund-Schinz disease

Children complain of pain when walking, and slight swelling will be visually observed. Treatment is indicated by maintaining rest and reducing the load on the sore leg. You can also use physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and massages.

Flat feet

Pain occurs due to excess pressure on each part of the foot. Treatment – ​​performing special therapeutic exercises (rolling a ball with your foot is especially effective), wearing orthopedic shoes.

Plantar fasciitis

Inflammation of the plantar fascia occurs when using uncomfortable shoes. Therefore, the main thing therapeutic event- urgent replacement of shoes, as well as the use of anti-inflammatory ointments.

To avoid its occurrence, you need to watch the child’s feet and try to prevent possible deviations at a very early stage.

Prevention

• Giving to the feet good rest after intense physical exertion, long stay on foot.
• Use comfortable shoes made of good materials.
• Proper, balanced nutrition.
• Keep your weight under control.
• Performance physical therapy for legs.
• Try to avoid foot injuries.