Dull pain in heel when stepping. Special therapeutic baths for the treatment of leg pain. Treatment with traditional methods

While we are young, we hardly think about our health. And, of course, we are not worried about our feet at all. They don’t get sick, they don’t get tired - we lead an active and carefree life. But suddenly one morning we wake up and feel that something is wrong with our legs. It's a dull pain in the heel instantly ruins all plans.

Now you can hardly run anywhere - it’s difficult to even step on your heel, not to mention long walks. What could be the reason? discomfort in this zone and how to deal with it?

Reasons why the disease occurs

Heel pain can come from a variety of sources. So, for example, it is quite possible that you have arthritis. It can occur at any age.

Arthritis involves inflammation of the tissue that covers the entire foot and radiates pain in heel area .

Another cause is plantar fasciitis. With this disease, the fascia of the sole (the seal located under the foot) becomes inflamed, which leads to pain in the heel.

This often happens due to wearing tight shoes or boots. What if along with fasciitis in the heel? salts are deposited, a spur will appear.

Heel spur- this is a continuation of fasciitis, which flowed into chronic form. Due to salts, a build-up appears inside the heel. It hurts when a person steps on his foot. Discomfort can occur with inflammation of the Achilles tendon, and with reactive arthritis, when the tissue becomes infected with a virus.

Among the diseases that cause heel pain is gout. It is an inflammation that has become chronic and negatively affects the metabolic process.

Treatment of heel pain

You can get rid of heel pain if you start to deal with its cause. For example, if wearing tight shoes or shoes On high heels, it is better to change your shoes to more comfortable ones, with low heels and proper soles. Periodically, you need to take off your shoes so that your feet can rest, even if you are at your workplace.

If the pain was caused by a crack in the heel, you should visit a dermatologist. The specialist will examine the leg and find out if it has started in the foot. fungal action. Cracks often appear on dried leather, which happens in the hot summer when people prefer to wear open shoes. For preventative purposes, feet should be lubricated with cream, and dry, rough skin should be removed with pumice.

reduce physical activity lower limbs(do not play sports, walk less, do not run);
periodically place ice wrapped in cloth on your feet;
with your doctor’s approval, take a pain reliever (for example, Ibuprofen);
in the morning, stretch your feet and do a series of exercises to help stretch the tissue of the lower leg (this should be done before you put your feet on the floor).

If the cause of pain lies in a spur, you need to reconsider your diet - you may need lose a few extra pounds.

As a result, the weight will decrease, the load on the legs will decrease, and, as a result, heel pain will disappear. Shoes should be equipped with special orthopedic insoles.

Physiotherapeutic measures include mineral baths, ultrasound, and mud. Doctors prescribe corticosteroids as medications. Rarely, a heel spur requires surgical resolution problems (cutting operation).

At reactive arthritis When an infection has entered the body and heel pain begins, it is imperative to be treated under the supervision of a doctor. Treatment is primarily aimed at eliminating the cause, that is, ridding the patient of the infection (this may be venereal disease, chlamydia).

What ointments help relieve pain?

Ointments for the treatment of heel pain are prescribed by a doctor in the hospital after determining the cause of the discomfort. Very effective means counts "Antishpor", which relieves pain after several days of use.

At heel spur Steroid and non-steroidal ointments help:

"Ketoprofen";
"Ibuprofen";
"Butadion";
"Voltaren."

Hydrocortisone ointment is applied for 14 days. It is applied twice a day to the heel area. This tool restores blood vessels in an inflamed area.

From herbal ointments and animal-based drugs are “Golden Us”, “ Shark oil", cream "Ortho". They don't fight the spur, but help with cracks.

Which specialist should I contact?

If you experience pain in the heel area, you should make an appointment with an orthopedist, surgeon, podiatrist or traumatologist. As for the podiatrist, his specialty is the lower leg and feet, and he can alone replace everyone the doctors listed above.

Traditional recipes from healers

Traditional healers offer several recipes to help get rid of heel pain. Inflammation is well relieved if you apply a compress with propolis. It is placed on the heel before going to bed, and wrapped on top cloth bandage.

Cabbage also copes well with discomfort. The stalk must be passed through a grater, then placed in a bowl of boiling water. After the water stops being very hot, dip your foot in it. Needs to be held for a long time until the water becomes cool.

Throughout life, a person is constantly on the move. At the same time, his musculoskeletal system experiences enormous stress. To eliminate or significantly reduce the likelihood of a traumatic factor, wise mother nature has provided our body with shock-absorbing functions. For most people, the term “shock absorber” is associated primarily with a device designed to dampen vibrations and soften the impacts of moving parts of a car in order to protect them from shocks. IN anatomical structure In humans, the following devices are also present: muscles, joints, ligaments, cartilage, menisci. But they are not the only ones that provide a softening effect.

The role of the heel in physical activity

When a person walks, the pushing and impact load is first taken on by the foot and its integral part, the heel. It is the heel bone that first begins to function as a kind of shock absorber during movement. The pressure on the spine and osteoarticular apparatus is relieved thanks to the spongy structure of the heel bone and the thick layer of fat surrounding it. However, the bone tissue of the heel is literally riddled with many blood vessels And nerve fibers, therefore very sensitive to injuries, inflammation, infections and the development of other unpleasant diseases. Any pathology affecting back foot, causes pain and makes it very difficult or completely deprives a person of the ability to step on his foot.

Causes

When people have problems with the functioning of the musculoskeletal system, the first thing they do is make an appointment with a traumatologist. But pain when resting on the heel can provoke a wide variety of pathological processes. Therefore, it is possible that the primary treating physician may be a surgeon, rheumatologist, or even a neurologist. The reasons leading to damage to the structures of the heel bone are conventionally divided into 4 main groups by doctors:

independent inflammatory diseases;
general (systemic) ailments;
infectious lesions;
injuries.

Plantar fasciitis

The most common pathology that causes inflammatory and degenerative changes in the heel area is plantar (plantar) fasciitis. In common parlance it is called a “heel spur.” At this disease the fascia becomes inflamed - an extremely dense connecting strip running directly along the sole to the heel bone, reaching metatarsal bones. Such a negative situation can arise due to excessive physical activity, rapid increase in body weight, daily long standing on the feet (due to production needs), constant wearing of shoes without heels, and also due to flat feet, which causes stretching of the plantar fascia. Over time, the inflammatory process is accompanied by the deposition of calcium salts, which causes the formation of a painful bone growth - a “heel spur”.

Other common heel lesions of a similar nature include tendonitis (inflammation) of the Achilles tendon and bursitis - inflammation of the synovial cavity (bursa) with the formation of pathological liquid exudate in it.

Tendon injuries and inflammations

Often the cause of pain in the heels is tendon injuries that occur during excessive physical activity or as a result of women wearing high-heeled shoes. The cause of tendon injuries is flat feet, which is observed in a person when he does not undertake special measures to correct changes in the arch of the foot. Sometimes the cause of injury is specific professional conditions labor.

One of the most common causes of severe heel pain is inflammation of the Achilles tendon. In this case, pain occurs in posterior region feet, directly under the heel. When the tendon of the sole of the foot is damaged painful sensations pain in the area of the sole, under the heel.

Injuries, bruises of the foot and heel

Some people experience unbearable pain in the heel area due to severe bruising of the foot. In this case, inflammation occurs in the tissues adjacent directly to the heel bone. When the heel is in a calm position, there is no pain, but even with light pressure, very severe pain occurs. Quite often, the cause of severe bruising is jumping from a height when landing on the heels, when the load is not distributed over the entire surface of the foot, as is necessary for such jumps.

After a person is injured due to pain syndrome For some time he is completely unable to move independently, so he is forced to use crutches. At severe bruise heel, trying to stand on your foot causes the back of the foot to feel as if you have stepped on a nail. And if the heel bone is fractured, it is generally impossible to rest on the foot.

A traumatic factor always causes pain, since certain areas of the osseous-ligamentous apparatus are directly damaged. The consequences of injuries are well known to those who are actively involved in sports. In addition to painful sensations, a bruise, crack or fracture of the heel bone is accompanied by inflammation of nearby tissues, swelling, sometimes deformation of the foot and, as a result, limitation or total loss motor abilities.

General (systemic) ailments

This problem may also be caused by a disease called gout. psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis. IN in this case it is pain in the heels that is a clear symptom onset of these diseases.

Ankylosing spondylitis. Among the systemic ailments that can affect calcaneus, the leading place is occupied by ankylosing spondylitis - ankylosing spondylitis. This pathology characterized by an aggressive attitude protective forces body (immunity) to own tissues, mainly to the joints of the spine. Intervertebral discs, the ligaments gradually become ossified, and joint stiffness develops. The vertebrae fuse together, the bone structure becomes rigid. The negative process also extends to the heel bone, which makes it painful for a person to stand on a hard surface.

Rheumatoid arthritis. Also, problems in the heel area can occur with the development of rheumatoid arthritis, another autoimmune disease that mainly affects the joints of the body. Painful syndrome may be localized not only in the elbow, shoulder or knee joint, but also touch the foot along with the heel.

Gout. Doctors consider salt deposition in the joints to be the third provoking systemic disease. uric acid, known to everyone as gout. The joints are usually affected thumb legs, but the heel bone is often also involved in the inflammatory process.

Infectious diseases

Heel pain due to infectious lesions is rarely diagnosed, but such situations also happen. Intestinal (salmonellosis, dysentery, etc.) or genital (ureaplasmosis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc.) infections that occur in a latent form can cause reactive arthritis, which, along with other joints, also affects the joints of the heel bone. The pain is so strong that a person, regardless of the state of rest or movement, regularly suffers from them. They do not pass day or night.

In addition, to the development of a purulent-necrotic process and deformation bone structures heels can cause bacterial osteomyelitis. And this serious disease, like bone tuberculosis, is generally characterized by the melting of bone tissue (including the heel), which speaks for itself.

Symptoms

So, the main sign pathological condition heel area is pain. However, the nature, frequency and intensity of pain may vary. With plantar fasciitis, heel pain occurs mainly in the morning, when a person gets out of bed after sleep. It is difficult for the patient to step on the heel. He needs to “disperse”, since the pain gradually dulls with movement. If in motor activity take a break and give yourself a short rest, then after that the pain resumes. The presence of a “heel spur,” on the contrary, bothers a person with painful sensations when walking. It is especially difficult for people with increased body weight.

With Achilles tendinitis, the inflamed heel area swells, skin hyperthermia is observed, and the person experiences sharp pain in the back of the foot when trying to stand on tiptoes. If the tendon ruptures, walking becomes impossible.

In turn, bursitis is accompanied typical symptoms inflammation: redness, swelling, and later hardening of the area behind the heel. Soreness is felt after touching the sore spot, which becomes warm, almost hot to the touch. With ankylosing spondylitis, a person cannot stand on a hard floor for a long time, and with rheumatoid arthritis, limited joint mobility and heel pain occur when walking.

A characteristic sign of gout is redness and swelling of the big toe with acute pain spreading to the heel area. Moreover, the most intense pain is observed not during movement, but at rest, especially at night.

Bacterial lesions of the osteoarticular apparatus with their infectious-reactive inflammation cause sharp, shooting, boring pain in the heel bone, which haunts the patient constantly, regardless of the time of day. With bone tuberculosis and osteomyelitis, burning, bursting pain sensations appear from the inside. The heel is swollen and red. The purulent-necrotic process often leads to deformation of the foot and ends in incurable lameness.

What to do and how to treat?

The answer to the first part of the question is clear: immediately seek help from a traumatologist or surgeon. Sometimes even a banal splinter cannot be successfully pulled out of the skin of the heel, which can cause an inflammatory process. To decide on proper treatment and avoid complications, the most important thing is to find out the origin of heel pain. However, a person can help himself first aid. Considering that in most cases pain is caused by inflammation, it is recommended to cold compress: Apply a piece of ice to the heel for 10 - 15 minutes. To alleviate the condition, it is also a good idea to take a painkiller tablet: Ketoprofen, Nurofen or Nise.

Diagnostics

At the reception in medical institution the doctor will listen to the patient’s complaints, conduct visual inspection painful area with palpation and will give direction to the patient to undergo necessary examinations. Laboratory diagnostics implies, first of all, surrender biochemical analysis blood to determine the presence inflammatory process, rheumatoid factor, higher level uric acid (for gout), the state of circulating immune complexes (for ankylosing spondylitis).

It may be necessary to perform a puncture biopsy of the contents of the inflamed exudate (for an infectious lesion), the synovial cavity (for bursitis) or the tissue of the heel bone (for tuberculosis). Will tell the doctor about the integrity and changes in the structures of the heel instrumental diagnostics: radiography and ultrasound. It is possible that after the examination the patient will be redirected to a doctor of another narrow specialization.

Based on the transcripts of the conducted diagnostic measures, the doctor will determine the treatment regimen, which is the basis for answering the second part of the question asked above.

Before starting therapy for the underlying disease, the doctor will advise the patient to adhere to general recommendations: move less, do not put stress on the heel, reduce body weight, do it regularly special exercises for feet, wear shoes with low heels. You can relieve pain using orthopedic insoles, heel pads, and instep supports purchased at the pharmacy. To improve blood circulation in the affected area, periodic massage of the heel with wooden or needle wheels designed for this purpose is very useful.

Drug treatment

If pain in the heel area is not associated with a traumatic factor, then conservative (medicinal and physiotherapeutic) treatment is carried out. For plantar fasciitis, bursitis, and Achilles tendonitis, the first choice drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs:

Diclofenac;
Ibuprofen;
Nimesulide;
Voltaren et al.

Compresses with a solution of Novocaine or Dimexide are applied to the heel, sometimes (for severe pain) corticosteroids are used and blockades are made (injected medications directly to the pathological focus).

When diagnosing infectious lesion use appropriate antibiotics rheumatoid arthritis are being treated antitumor drugs(cytostatics), for bone tuberculosis, antibacterial and special anti-tuberculosis medications are prescribed.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Along with taking medications, the patient is referred to physiotherapeutic procedures in order to accelerate the regeneration of the heel bone structures:

shock wave therapy;
UHF, paraffin applications;
electrophoresis.

Can be significantly increased healing effect if done daily simple gymnastics: Sitting on the floor, roll a rolling pin or elastic ball with your feet.

Immobilization of the foot (imposition elastic bandages, plaster splint, splint, orthoses) is usually required only for injuries (cracks, fractures) of the heel bone. And to this radical method, How surgery, resort, as a rule, only in exceptional cases, for example, to remove a “heel spur” or to rupture the Achilles tendon.

Folk remedies

In combination with the main treatment, the use of methods is allowed traditional medicine, having anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic effects, locally expanding vascular network and increasing blood flow in the affected area. However, not every inflammation can be stopped. “Grandma’s recipes” can be effective for bruises, fasciitis, bursitis, Achilles tendonitis, and can temporarily alleviate the condition of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, but for bacterial osteomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, gout, they are completely useless. As an example, here are a few effective, time-tested, folk remedies that can relieve pain and relieve inflammation in the heel. But still, before using them, it doesn’t hurt to first consult a doctor to avoid negative consequences.

Contrasting foot baths

Fill one basin cold water, another - hot water with the addition of chamomile decoction. Alternately, with an interval of 30 - 40 seconds, hold the sore foot in each basin. There should be 15–20 alternations in total. After the procedure, lubricate the sole with oil, or best of all, badger fat.

Anti-inflammatory ointment

Dissolve 5 grams of mumiyo in 2 tablespoons of liquid honey. Apply the ointment to the heel area three times a day. After 5–6 procedures, the inflammatory process should subside.

Potato compress

Boil a couple of potatoes in their skins, mash, mix with 3 drops of Lugol (a solution of quickly soluble molecular iodine). Place the mixture on gauze and apply to the back of the foot. Insulate with plastic wrap and a wool sock. Keep the compress until the potatoes have cooled.

Pepper compress

Finely chop 3 pods hot pepper, add 2 teaspoons of honey, stir the mixture until it becomes a paste. Apply to the heel, secure as a compress, leave for 2 - 3 hours. Then wash off the drug and lubricate the foot with a rich cream.

Vinegar compress

Pour half a glass of vinegar, not diluted (food grade), but essence. Place a fresh egg in it and keep the container with the composition in a cool place until completely dissolved eggshells. This process usually takes 3 – 3.5 weeks. Then add half a glass sunflower oil, mix everything well, lubricate the heel area with the resulting mixture, secure with polyethylene and woolen cloth. It is preferable to apply such a compress at night.

Of course, heel pain is not just discomfort, but a real test, especially for people leading an active and active lifestyle. However, many frivolously put off going to the clinic until later. Hopes that pain in the back of the foot will go away on its own most often do not come true, but only worsen pathological situation. Therefore, you should not ignore visiting a doctor. Take care of yourself!

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 standing for a long time.
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 pain appears 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. Exactly plantar fasciitis causes severe morning pain in the heel area, which often gets quieter as the day goes on.

Heel spur

Sometimes plantar disease is accompanied by a heel spur, which is a small bone spur, formed 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 legs, the desire to wear shoes too high high heels with changing into slippers in the evenings, a love of long runs - all of the above can provoke Achilles tendonitis. 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 back of the heel bone, where it is attached Achilles tendon.

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 the deposition of uric acid salts. 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 infectious disease 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 to do to painful sensations did your heels reappear 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

Pain in the legs and in particular in the heels of the feet is a fairly common phenomenon that each of us regularly encounters in life - sedentary lifestyle life leads to the fact that our legs become “unprepared” for various physical activities, which is why we may experience discomfort in this area even after a short walk. And in order to get rid of such a pain syndrome in this situation, we just need to rest.

However, not always pain in the heels of the feet can be provoked by ordinary fatigue during the working day, and, despite good rest, we even experience certain painful sensations the next morning. Why is this happening? And what reasons can cause such pain? In this article we will tell you about why the heels of the feet may hurt, as well as how to treat such painful manifestations.

External factors causing heel pain

We all know that pain is a signal from our body about the presence of any disturbances in it, however, in some cases such discomfort not associated with diseases. For example, pain in the heels of the feet can be caused by the following: external factors:

Excess body weight. At overweight body, our feet are exposed to excessive stress, which in turn leads to regular pain in the heels of the feet;

Incorrectly selected shoes. Wearing tight or uncomfortable shoes also leads to regular pain in this area. Frequently wearing high-heeled shoes also contributes to the occurrence of acute pain in the heel;

Reinforced physical exercise. It is not uncommon to experience pain in the heel after playing sports. If you experience pain in this area after performing any specific exercises, then in this case it is recommended to consult a trainer, because this pain syndrome occurs against the background of incorrect technique for performing the exercise itself.

Causes of heel pain

Above, you have already become acquainted with possible external factors that can cause heel pain, however, why can such a pain syndrome occur if you wear quite comfortable shoes and do not load yourself with excessive physical activity? In this case, we are already talking about specific diseases that are the cause of heel pain. Below we will tell you in more detail about these diseases:

Plantar fasciitis. In order to understand the essence of this disease, initially it is necessary to clarify what the fascia of the sole itself is. This term refers to a certain compacted formation that is located in the connective tissue and which runs along the entire foot. If you regularly wear tight and uncomfortable shoes, which seem to “deform” the foot and pinch it, then an inflammatory process forms in the fascia, which ultimately leads to pain. Another distinctive feature of this disease is the deposition of salts precisely at the site of inflammation, which in the future can lead to the emergence and development of a disease such as a heel spur.

Heel spur. The essence of this disease is the same as plantar fasciitis, and the only difference between the two diseases is the form in which they occur. So, for example, if plantar fasciitis can be cured, then a heel spur is a chronic form of the disease that occurs against the background of a long process of salt deposition at the site of inflammation. With a heel spur, the patient is usually very worried severe pain in the heel area while walking or standing for a long time. In order to get rid of such pain, the patient provides rest to his legs, however, when he tries to stand on his feet again, the pain returns with greater intensity.

Arthritis. The essence of this disease is the presence of an inflammatory process in joints or tissues, which in turn can arise from various reasons. For example, an allergy, some kind of infection, or even a simple injury can provoke the occurrence of this disease. With arthritis, the patient usually feels pain in the heels, which is most pronounced in the morning, immediately after waking up. With various physical activities, pain in this area also occurs.

In addition to the above reasons for the occurrence of arthritis, it can provoke the appearance of this disease, namely its a certain type– reactive arthritis – can chlamydia and various venereal diseases. With this type of arthritis, the patient is constantly bothered by pain in the heel, which is especially worse at night.

Achillodynia. The essence of this disease is the presence of an inflammatory process in the heel bursa, which in turn consists of connective tissue and which, as it were, “surrounds” the Achilles tendon. Distinctive features of this disease - the presence of a slight swelling in the area where this tendon is located, as well as increased skin temperature in this area. Any touch to the Achilles tendon is very painful.

How to treat heel pain

Of course, any of the above diseases requires careful attention to yourself, because if they are not cured, any of the diagnoses can develop into a chronic form, which subsequently excludes any possibility of getting rid of the disease. It is also worth considering that some diseases in their advanced stages require surgical intervention, which is why in case of regularly occurring heel pain, it is necessary to mandatory contact an appropriate specialist who, after examining, passing you necessary tests and after undergoing certain procedures, will establish a specific diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.

In order to relieve pain before visiting a doctor, it is recommended to purchase special orthopedic insoles, the “structure” of which will create the most favorable and comfortable conditions heel, which helps relieve pain. Orthopedic shoes with a recess in the heel is another option for getting rid of such painful sensations.

Preventing heel pain

Of course, due to various circumstances get rid of it forever similar problem is not possible, however, by resorting to simple tips, we can help ensure that heel pain bothers us as little as possible:

Do morning exercises regularly. Daily exercise helps to “warm up” all muscles, which thus makes them prepared for upcoming physical activity;

choose comfortable shoes. Avoid frequent wearing of high-heeled and flat-soled shoes. Most best option– shoes with low wedges or shoes with heels of three to four centimeters;

go swimming. Swimming is the most useful look sports for our muscles and joints, and also serves as an excellent preventive measure against various diseases;

do special gymnastics for the feet. To do this, you need to put into the basin warm water, place river pebbles on its bottom and try to roll the pebbles with your feet for 15 minutes.

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints, bursitis is inflammation of the periarticular bursae. Both types of diseases, if we're talking about about the heels, affect the tissues that run along the foot and connect the heel bone to the toes. The pain is not felt immediately, at first you may not even pay attention to it, but it inevitably grows. The patient feels worse in the morning, but if a foot massage is performed, the pain subsides, but suddenly returns on tiptoe and when walking up the stairs.

People suffering from arthritis or bursitis are forced to “pace” in the morning when they have just gotten out of bed. It is especially difficult for those who are overweight. Heel pain can shoot through your entire body.

Plantar fasciitis

The fascia of the sole is nothing more than a compacted formation in connective tissues that go all over. Prolonged and constant wearing of tight or simply uncomfortable shoes creates a risk of inflammation in this area. Development plantar fasciitis provokes in the inflamed area, which very often leads to the formation of a heel spur.

Sudden changes in the musculoskeletal system of the foot can also be caused by unevenly distributed or excessive physical activity. This often happens due to poor posture and injuries. As a result of these factors, the center of gravity shifts, which leads to the development of heel spurs.

Inflammation of the Achilles tendon

Reactive arthritis

Some infections can cause heel pain when walking, including: sexually transmitted diseases, chlamydia, gonococcus, etc. Reactive inflammation (arthropathy or Reiter's syndrome) of the heel tendons can also develop with hidden infections. In this case, the pain is strongly felt not only when walking, but also in any other position, especially when walking.

Reactive arthritis usually develops a month after an intestinal, respiratory or genitourinary infection. To the fore in clinical picture It is precisely the damage to the joints of the lower extremities that results.