My heel began to hurt sharply when I stepped on it. Pain in the morning after sleep: what could it be? Inflammation of the Achilles tendon

Heel pain is not only unpleasant phenomenon, but also possible symptom serious illness. If stepping on your heel becomes painful, it is important to find the cause and provide the correct treatment.

Possible causes of heel pain when walking

There are several possible reasons why does it hurt to step on your heel? This:

injury or bruise;
heel spur ();
increase in load ( sharp increase weight, high physical activity);
(inflammatory process);
tendonitis (inflammation) of the Achilles tendon;
incorrect shoes (tight, uncomfortable lasts, high heels);
gout;
flat feet;
nerve compression;
infection (including those that are sexually transmitted);
apophysitis (Schinz disease).

Diagnostics and examination

Making a diagnosis yourself without the appropriate education and experience is a pointless and dangerous exercise. For this purpose, it is better to contact a specialist. Usually this is a traumatologist, orthopedic surgeon or rheumatologist.

In addition to the usual examination, the specialist may prescribe additional studies:

If an inflammatory process or infection is suspected, tests are usually necessary (general blood and urine tests are often sufficient).

If there is a risk of injury or a specific disease needs to be clarified, radiography is used. This diagnostic is suitable for examining bone structures.

To examine soft tissues, they resort to ultrasound diagnostics. There are also other informative diagnostic methods: computed and magnetic resonance imaging.

If you suspect gout, except general analysis blood, determine the content in it uric acid. To confirm or exclude bursitis, the fluid of the tendon bursa is examined. For this purpose, bacteriological and bacterioscopic research methods are used.

If there is compression of the nerve, then, in addition to X-rays and ultrasound (or MRI), nerve conduction is determined and electromyography is done (electrical impulses going from the nerve to the muscles are recorded).

Heel hurts and it hurts to step: how to treat? Features of complex therapy

Commonly used to treat heel pain when walking. A complex approach. Features of therapy depend on the cause of pain.

Bruises and injuries

At severe bruises and injuries, the vessels are damaged, and the blood from them enters the nearby tissues and muscle layer - this is how a bruise appears. Treatment involves reducing the amount of blood between tissues. Immediately after a bruise, ice should be applied to the damaged area, and then a pressure bandage should be applied.

To make the blood absorb faster, it is effective to use heparin ointment, Ibuprofen, Traumeel. Their effect is enhanced by combination with. If the injury is accompanied by swelling, then it can be removed with the help of Lyoton or Troxevasin (Troxerutin).

2-3 days after the injury you can proceed to warm compresses and physiotherapeutic procedures.

There are a few folk remedies, effective for bruises. Helps well with swelling cabbage leaves. They need to be slightly crushed to release the juice and secured with a bandage on the sore spot. Badyaga helps well with bruises. You can apply fresh or dry herb to the affected area, and also use pharmaceutical product(usually in powder).

Heel spur (fasciitis)

To relieve inflammation with heel spurs, it is prescribed non-steroidal drugs such as Diclofenac, Ketoprofen (Flexen), Voltaren or Ibuprofen. These products are used topically in the form of an ointment or gel for no more than a week.

An effective method is physiotherapy. Usually they resort to electrophoresis using novocaine and potassium iodide.

One of the treatment options for fasciitis is medication. The content of analgesic and antiseptic components in it gives a noticeable effect.

If conservative treatment does not bring results, then they resort to blockade of the spur. It involves injecting medication directly into the sore spot. This method allows you to deliver the medicine immediately to its destination.

Advanced and untreatable cases require surgical intervention. Usually there is no need to resort to such drastic measures, since conservative treatment is sufficient.

To people suffering heel spur, you must use orthopedic insoles or wear orthopedic shoes. This is especially important in cases where the disease is accompanied by flat feet.

There are also a number traditional methods combating heel spurs:

At night, you can rub the sore spot with a mixture of honey and mumiyo, melted in a water bath.

The leaves of plantain, burdock or coltsfoot help well. You can fix the chosen product with a plaster or sock and walk like this all day.

Another folk way– sand treatment. It’s not always possible to get to the sea, but you can warm your feet in the sand at home. River sand is also suitable for this. You can replace it with sea salt. It is better to do this procedure at night.

Arthritis

As drug treatment for heel arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen) and analgesics are used. For general strengthening the body is prescribed a vitamin complex.

Treatment with physiotherapeutic methods is effective:

electrophoresis;
ultraphonophoresis;
warming up.

Therapeutic gymnastics and massage play an important role. The exercises involve rotating the feet and simulating walking in a sitting position. It is useful to pick up small objects from the floor with your toes.

With heel arthritis, in most cases, the metabolic processes, so one aspect of treatment is diet.

Bursitis

When treating bursitis, it is important to get rid of pain and stop the inflammatory process. For this purpose, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Diclofenac) are used.

Physiotherapeutic methods are used in the treatment of bursitis:

magnetic therapy;
ultrasound;
exposure to microcurrents.

To strengthen tendons therapeutic exercises. It is produced under conditions medical institution, since it is performed on a simulator.

If bursitis is accompanied by flat feet, then it is necessary to wear orthopedic shoes and appropriate insoles or.

Pine baths are effective as traditional methods. To do this, pine needles are first soaked in cold water, and then boil. Another remedy is a compress. To do this, mix a tablespoon of aloe juice, 2 tbsp. honey and 3 tbsp. vodka. Traditional treatment appropriate only for the disease in the initial stage.

When the disease is chronic, they resort to antibacterial therapy or surgical intervention. Depending on the severity of the disease, it is necessary to remove the synovial bursa or excise its membrane.

Tendinitis

In acute tendonitis, it is important to limit any stress on the foot.

To avoid hematoma and reduce swelling, apply to the damaged area. cold compress. Then the foot must be secured with a bandage or bandage.

Diclofenac or Ibuprofen will help reduce inflammation.

When conservative treatment fails desired effect, resort to surgical intervention. It involves suturing damaged tissues, removing areas where degenerative changes are more pronounced.

After the operation there comes rehabilitation period during which you need to do special exercises and use physical therapy techniques.

Gout

If gout is moderate, then use anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen).

If the disease affects several joints at once, then treatment must include a 10-day course of non-steroidal antibiotics (prescribed by a doctor depending on the characteristics of the disease).

Treatment of gout should be comprehensive. It consists of diet, exercise therapy and physiotherapeutic methods.

Flat feet

Flat feet need timely treatment, otherwise severe deformation of the foot occurs. The therapy consists of relieving heel pain when walking and increasing the tone of muscles and ligaments.

Drug treatment can be effectively combined with physiotherapeutic methods: magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, phonophoresis and therapeutic massage.

Warm baths are effective in normalizing blood supply and toning muscles and ligaments; this procedure should be carried out every day. Can be used plain water, add to it sea salt or a decoction of oak bark. Contrast baths help a lot.

If you have flat feet, it is important to do various exercises - lift small objects with your toes, roll a small ball, walk barefoot on uneven surfaces, for example, croup, pebbles.

The course of treatment for flat feet is based on individual characteristics patient and degree of flatfoot.

Apophysitis

This disease is typically childhood and occurs with increased physical activity due to insufficient skeletal strength.

The treatment uses a complex of anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. At the same time, vitamins are prescribed (usually ascorbic acid). Mandatory physiotherapy– exercises should be performed in consultation with an orthopedist.

It is important to rest your leg during treatment. To reduce the load and reduce painful sensations, resort to dressings (an ordinary bandage is suitable).

If your heel hurts and it hurts to step on, then it is important to promptly determine the causes of this pain. Without corresponding complete treatment This phenomenon can lead to a number of complications.

It is also important to remember preventive measures. Special attention It is worth paying attention to the choice of shoes. High heels, tight shoes, an inconvenient shoe - all this can cause many pathologies. It is also necessary to remember about moderate physical activity - heavy loads and sudden changes activities have a negative impact on health.

When walking and stepping - a fairly common symptom of many diseases and traumatic injuries. The heel area is saturated blood vessels And nerve endings, which leads to painful sensations at the slightest deviations in the structure of the tissues. But to understand why your heels hurt when walking, and what to do if it hurts to step on your heels, you need to find out what pathological process such feelings are associated.

Causes not related to diseases

Man leading active image life, experiences significant discomfort when it hurts to step on the heel. After all, he not only experiences unpleasant discomfort, but also loses the ability to move normally. Often such sensations appear in absolutely healthy people and the search begins for what to do if your heel hurts and it hurts to step on - the reason may be on the surface, you just need to analyze your lifestyle.

The causes of heel pain when walking are often associated with:

Availability excess weight. People who have suddenly gained weight or are severely obese are especially affected. An unbearable load puts pressure on the feet and pain inevitably appears after walking.
Pregnancy. This is one of the situations where the weight increases quite sharply and increased load falls on the legs when walking.
Excessive physical activity. Moreover, this can be either sports or loads associated with professional activity, and prolonged standing.
Wearing uncomfortable shoes. Tight and with a narrow toe, on high heels and with an uncomfortable last, shoes inevitably lead to discomfort after prolonged wear.
Atrophy subcutaneous tissue. Pain in the heel area may be associated with loss of shock-absorbing function due to loss of fat layer - this process develops against the background sudden weight loss and excessive stress on the foot.

With these factors, pain usually appears after a long walk. It is enough to give your legs a rest to discomfort gone.

Traumatic injuries

Pain in the heel when stepping may indicate tissue damage in the area. Typically, such symptoms are preceded by direct or indirect trauma. In this case, a person experiences severe pain precisely at the moment of injury. Further symptoms will depend on the type of injury:

If it is painful to step on your heels due to an injury, complete immobilization of the right or left leg will be required. IN difficult situations the operation is being performed.

Inflammatory processes

If the heel hurts when walking, a person often attributes the discomfort to excessive loads, the result of excessive impacts on the surface of the shoe. But It's a dull pain in the heels may indicate the presence of inflammatory processes in this area. In this case it is required specific treatment, and its absence can lead to the transition of the disease to the chronic stage.

Arthritis

Unbearable sharp pain in the right or left leg may indicate worsening arthritis. Usually such sensations do not come suddenly, the pain increases gradually. At the site of the lesion, local hyperemia, swelling and stiffness in the joint are observed.

Among all types, rheumatoid and reactive ones most often affect.

The rheumatoid form is considered the most dangerous. It is almost impossible to cure it. The disease belongs to the systemic autoimmune form, in which the body itself destroys tissue as if it were foreign. How to Treat Heel Pain Associated with rheumatoid arthritis, is selected by the attending physician, depending on the body’s reaction to certain drugs and methods. First of all, the inflammatory reaction is removed, after which they can be prescribed basic drugs cyostatics, antimalarial drugs, sulfonamides, penicillamines.

No less dangerous is the reactive form of the disease, in which the pain comes suddenly and negative symptoms develops in a matter of hours. Typically this pathology has infectious origin and is often associated with the presence of a viral infection.

In addition to the use of anti-inflammatory and painkillers, the patient is prescribed antimicrobial drugs.

Treatment for heel pain due to arthritis involves providing functional rest. When acute symptoms stopped, physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises are prescribed.

Video

Video - Heel pain

Bursitis

Often patients complain that the leg in the heel area suddenly hurts, without any significant reason. If the back of the heel hurts, there may be inflammation of the joint capsule. This disease often occurs in athletes who constantly load the heel bone and foot during training. These are, first of all, football players, cyclists, and volleyball players.

Sharp pain is accompanied by:

swelling of the back of the heel;
redness of the inflamed area;
pain on palpation;
increase in skin temperature.

The pain intensifies when walking - which is natural in the presence of an inflammatory process.

Tendinitis

The causes of this pathology lie in excessive load calf muscle. Constant overexertion provokes contraction and shortening of the tendon. As a result, the tissues cannot take their natural position, which explains why the heel hurts and it hurts to step on the foot.

In this case, the pain extends not only to the heel area, but also to the calves. It is especially problematic to take the first steps after rest.

If such symptoms are left unattended, the tendon tissue degenerates, and the risk of complete separation from the tendon increases significantly. calcaneus.

Can be heard from some patients if available inflammatory pathologies that, despite the pain, I get up and walk. In this way, patients try to give a minimum load in order to disperse. But this approach is fundamentally wrong. Any walks must be canceled during treatment.

The main thing is to give the leg complete rest at the first stage of treatment. Only after the inflammation has been eliminated is it possible to include massage, exercise therapy and physiotherapy.

Age-related and dystrophic changes

From patients over 40 years old, you can hear complaints that walking has become difficult, and the heel hurts unbearably when stepping on it. Most often, such signs indicate age-related changes in the structure of the tissues of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs

The diseases are closely related to each other. The primary one is overstrain of the fascia, which occurs against the background of constant loads on the foot and deterioration of tissue elasticity. As a result, the fascia connecting the heel and toes become inflamed, which leads to unpleasant sensations. The first steps after a night's rest are especially painful. During sleep, the foot is in a position in which the plantar tendons are relaxed. After a long contraction, returning the fascia to its original position is problematic. It is at these moments that piercing pain is felt.

Over time, at the site of attachment of the tendon to the heel bone, it becomes denser due to the accumulation of calcium elements. In fact, in this place appears bone spur, which looks like a spike. In backgammon, such a spike-like formation is called a “heel spur.” Patients complain of pain directly when stepping, when the heel literally pierces like a needle.

Depending on the location and size of the calcaneal osteophyte, the patient may feel pain only in the morning or in certain shoes. As the growth increases, walking becomes problematic, as almost every step is accompanied by pain.

There are many treatment methods for heel spurs in the form of:

unloading of the pathological zone due to orthoses and special shoes;
physiotherapy aimed at softening bone formation;
shock wave treatment.

But it is considered the most effective surgery, in which the growth is removed.

Osteoporosis

The presence of strong ones may signal depletion of bone density. The development of osteoporosis affects almost every bone in the body, and the heel bone is no exception. There can be many reasons for such a disease, but it is based on either leaching minerals, necessary for the synthesis of bone elements, or an imbalance in the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, responsible for the destruction and production of bone cells.

Moreover, the nature of heel pain in osteoporosis can be twofold:

loss of density of the heel bone itself causes painful symptoms and even microtraumas;
deterioration of the spine, which leads to a redistribution of loads specifically on the foot area;
damage to the knees or hip joints causes changes in gait and excessive pressure on the heels.

The disease is considered quite insidious, as it does not give characteristic symptoms on initial stages. When patients come to the doctor with complaints that their heels hurt when walking, it is too late to look for causes and treatment for advanced osteoporosis, since the bone structure, and the foot is deformed. Most often, drugs with calcium and vitamin D are prescribed, as well as drugs that stop the activity of osteoclasts.

In addition to the main reasons, causing pain in the heel, there are also more rare ones associated with infectious, neurogenic, oncological lesions, and diseases of the spine. Therefore, ignoring such a sign and letting the disease take its course is dangerous, and sometimes fraught not only with loss of mobility, but also with disability.

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 this in this situation pain syndrome, 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 unpleasant sensations are 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 occurrence of painful sensations in this area. Frequently wearing high-heeled shoes also contributes to the occurrence of acute pain in the heel;

Increased physical activity. 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 means a certain compacted formation that is located in 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 usually experiences very 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” Achilles tendon. Distinctive features of this disease - the presence of a slight swelling in the area where this tendon is located, as well as elevated temperature skin 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 chronic form, which subsequently eliminates 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 are 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 prevention 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.

Our feet experience enormous stress. When walking, the weight of the body falls on them. This, and many other factors, can lead to heel pain. Sometimes the sensations are so acute that a person cannot walk. There can be many reasons for pain.

Heel pain when walking

Heel pain when walking can vary. In order to diagnose the cause, you should listen to your feelings and describe them correctly when visiting a doctor. The heel may be sore but not swollen. The back or bottom of the heel may hurt. In addition to pain, other symptoms may be tingling and numbness. It is important to consider the time and circumstances of the occurrence of unpleasant sensations.

Heel pain when walking can indicate inflammation, injury and the development of many other diseases.

Injuries and bruises. They may cause not only pain, but also swelling on the heel.
Fascial rupture. Pain affects not only the heel, but the entire surface of the foot.
Heel spur. Acute pain occurs when walking and after prolonged rest in the direction from the heel to the foot.
Arthritis. Problems with the joints can also affect the condition of the heels. In this case, pain can always accompany: with movement and at rest.
Heel pain when walking can be caused by a pinched nerve.

Heel pain in the morning

In some cases, morning heel pain is associated with a heel spur. It develops due to age-related changes, excess weight, injuries and heavy load on the foot. A vertical growth begins to grow from the periosteum towards the foot. The pain occurs because it injures the tissues of the foot. Uncomfortable sensations worse in the morning after sleep. In order to diagnose a heel spur, you need to consult a surgeon or orthopedist. They will write out a referral for an x-ray.

Heel pain in the morning could mean arthritis. Usually the symptom increases, but may disappear with foot massage.

Your heel may hurt in the morning due to plantar fasciitis. Fascia runs along the foot. With excessive load and flat feet, it becomes very stretched and inflamed. As a result, pain occurs. It subsides during the day.

Heel pain: causes

Many different diseases are associated with heel pain. When walking, it occurs due to inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Unpleasant sensations affect the area of the sole or the part of the leg above the heel. The inflamed area may become red. It is difficult for the patient to stand on his feet.
The causes of pain may be associated with wearing the wrong shoes. Because of this, the load on the foot increases. In addition, the position of the leg may be deformed. This also causes discomfort and pain.

Heel pain: treatment

Perhaps you will abandon other methods if you try modern SOSU pedicure socks. After just 5-7 days of using the socks, you will forget about cracks and cracks in your heels.

First you need to relieve the pain. If it is caused inflammatory process, then you can use Fastum Gel. When the discomfort subsides, you need to think about the comfort of your shoes. Arch supports and orthopedic insoles are excellent for reducing and redirecting the load.
Treatment depends on the severity and type of disease. For heel spurs, physical therapy, injections and rest are prescribed.
For problems with the Achilles tendon, anti-inflammatory drugs, fixation of the tendon, and procedures to strengthen it are used. You can relieve pain by wrapping your foot tightly in a bandage and applying cold to it. Doctors recommend using cold compresses. Ice should be applied to the sore spot for 5-7 minutes. You can also get rid of pain with foot and heel massage.
For proper treatment You should consult a surgeon and orthopedist. You should see a doctor in cases of prolonged acute pain, constant discomfort in the morning and after rest. Absence timely treatment may make the situation worse.
In addition to treatment, you need to wear shoes with strong back, supporting the heel. The heel should not be very high (less than 5 cm) and stable.
Preventing heel pain also comes down to weight control. Every extra kilos increases the load on the spine and feet. If you have flat feet, you should wear orthopedic shoes and insoles.

Traditional treatment for heel pain

Traditional medicine suggests treating heel pain with baths, compresses and natural ointments. Propolis tincture helps a lot. We moisten a piece of cloth with it, apply it to the sore spot and bandage the heel with a bandage.

A cinquefoil tincture can also help. It is sold at the pharmacy. Cinquefoil tincture is used in the same way as propolis tincture.

From heel spurs ethnoscience recommends herbal baths. A mixture of ammonia and oil can be applied to the heel. 75 ml of alcohol is mixed with 1.5 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, applied to cotton wool and fixed on the painful area of the foot. Alternating between cold and hot foot baths can also help.

Heel pain can occur due to many reasons. It is caused by joint disorders, sprains, and inflammation. The first thing you need to do is take painkillers. In case of acute pain, you should consult a doctor. Only a doctor can identify the cause and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Today we will talk in detail about each reason why it hurts and can be painful to step on your heel, as well as how to determine this reason.

There can be many reasons why your heel may hurt and it is painful to step on. From the most harmless, for example, the wrong choice of shoes, to quite serious ones that require treatment and immediate consultation with a doctor. You should be wary if your heel hurts for no reason and it hurts to step on it after physical activity, or vice versa, after sleep. When there is swelling or redness in the area and when it becomes hot to the touch. Also pay attention to burning, tingling, and numbness. If the above symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Causes of pain that do not require treatment

Constant overstrain of the foot, which occurs when long-term wearing very high heel shoes
Thinning of the layer of subcutaneous fat in the heel area in cases where your physical activity increased sharply
Staying on your feet, without the opportunity to sit down and give your legs a rest, for the whole day
Rapid weight gain

On our website you can find out everything about why you have a possible disease

Causes of heel pain when stepping

Here are a few reasons why your heel hurts and is painful to step on:

Fasciitis
Tendenitis
Arthritis and arthrosis
Erythromelalgia
Osteoporosis
Heel Spitz
Various damages and injuries

Now let's look at each reason in more detail.

Fasciitis

Fasciitis is an inflammation of the fascia, a connective tissue membrane that plays an important role in distributing load. Here’s why the fascia can become inflamed:

There's too much stress on your feet
Wearing shoes that are too tight or uncomfortable
Excess weight
And a disease like diabetes

If the reason that it hurts to stand on your heel is precisely this disease, the following symptoms will be observed:

The pain will be more acute in the morning, when the muscles have not yet been developed.
The heel may become red, inflamed, and hot.

Treatment of this disease should be comprehensive, apply special medications, and the foot must be fixed.

Read more about and about its treatment, as well as O, you can find out on our website.

Heel spur

Another reason why your heel hurts when you step is a heel spur. What it is? This is a growth that forms when calcium salts begin to be deposited on the heel. It protrudes beyond the heel and interferes with walking. The cause of this disease, as a rule, is fasciitis, which we talked about just above. How to determine that you have a spur and not something else:

Of course, first of all it is pain when stepping on it, because the resulting growth literally digs into soft fabrics. This disease is the reason why heels hurt in the evening, as well as in the morning, after sleep. During the day, the pain may temporarily subside.
A lump appears that is hard to the touch
The place where the spur appeared is hot and red

Heel spurs must be treated without fail, and treatment must begin as early as possible, otherwise the spur will continue to grow, and eventually the foot will be completely immobilized.

To definitively confirm the diagnosis, the patient must undergo X-ray or ultrasonography, and, if the diagnosis is confirmed, complete rest is provided to the sore foot using a special bandage.

Read more about , and also about can be found on our website.

Tendenitis

Tendenitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon (which connects the heel bones and calf muscles). Such a disease can also cause it to become painful for you to step on your heel, and here’s why: the problem arises as a consequence of too much heavy load to this area, as well as due to minor tears and injuries.

How to distinguish tendonitis:

Pain in the heel, localized on the plantar side or above it. It gets worse when walking or when the patient stands on tiptoes. It is especially strong in the first hours after sleep.
The sore spot becomes red, swollen and hot
It is very difficult to walk and move your feet

Treatment involves complete rest of the limb (it will help elastic bandage), as well as cold to the sore spot. The specialist may prescribe anti-inflammatory and painkillers. In addition, it is necessary to perform special exercises to develop the damaged tendon.

Arthritis and arthrosis

Here's what else could be the reason why it hurts to step on your heels. Arthritis occurs due to inflammation of the joints, which may result from past infection or weak immunity, arthrosis is changes in the joints associated with the age of the body.

The manifestations of arthritis and arthrosis are similar:

This is the cause of severe pain in the heel; it is especially painful to step on it in the evening. Unpleasant sensations may also arise in another part of the foot, and not subside either at rest, or at night, or in the morning
Limited mobility
Deformation (increase in size) of the joint
Severe swelling in the sore spot

In the treatment of this disease, primarily anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers are used. Sometimes, in serious cases, puncture of the inflamed joint is performed.

Erythromelalgia

The cause of pain in the heels when standing up can be a disease such as erythromelalgia. It is caused by vasodilation. The symptoms are:

Hyperthermia
Excessive sweating
Redness of the damaged area

The discomfort is especially intensified when stepping on a full foot. For recovery, vasoconstrictors and sedatives, means that strengthen the walls of blood vessels. IN in some cases Novocaine is prescribed.

Osteoporosis

Such a nuisance as osteoporosis occurs due to decreased density bone tissue. Bones, over time, can become deformed and gradually break down. This is why the right or left heel, and it hurts to step on the entire foot. Also, during the course of the disease, curvature of the spine and hunching are observed. Here are the causes of osteoporosis:

Eating disorder
Bad habits
Early menopause
Too much long period lactation

Treatment of osteoporosis is primarily based on taking medications that replenish necessary for the body elements (such as calcium, for example)

Bursitis

This is inflammation in bursa(a cavity located at the junction of the joints and necessary to soften the movements of our tendons and muscles). It occurs unexpectedly and is accompanied by very sharp painful sensations.

Symptoms of bursitis:

Redness
Increased temperature at the site of inflammation
Touching the heel causes sharp pain

Bursitis is treated by taking antibiotics, complete rest of the limb at first, and the necessary physical procedures at the end of treatment.

Heel Spitz

Otherwise, plantar wart. A dense, round formation that causes severe pain when walking, as well as itching and burning in the affected area. Treatment options include removal medicines, and instrumental removal.

Read more about , you can find out on our website.

Damage and injury

The heel bears the greatest load, and therefore injuries to this area are quite common. And here are the injuries you may encounter:

Calcaneal fracture

Occurs, as a rule, after a fall on the heels from a height. In such a fall, the talus bone pierces the heel and splits it into pieces. In this case, heel area immediately swells and bruises form. Movement of the injured limb is, of course, difficult, or simply impossible.

Epiphysitis of the calcaneus, or Sever's disease

This disease affects children and adolescents who play sports professionally. Pain occurs during physical activity, when trying to stand on your toes. The site of injury swells, and there is restriction in the work of the calf muscle. The treatment for this disease is wearing a special heel pad, which helps the damaged area heal.

Learn more about why this might occur. , and what diseases can accompany this, read on our website.