In extreme cases, surgical intervention to remove the bone growth. Heel hurts

Heel pain can occur due to the following diseases:

• Haglund's deformity;
• tarsal tunnel syndrome;
• heel bone crack;
• heel spur;
• Achilles tendon strain;
• heel bruise;
• gout;
• diabetic angiopathy;
• epiphysitis of the calcaneus;
• bursitis;
• reactive arthritis;
• tuberculosis of the calcaneus;
• osteomyelitis of the calcaneus.

Haglund's deformity

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

Heel bone crack

Heel spur

Achilles tendon sprain

Achilles tendon sprains are the mildest type of Achilles tendon injury. A more serious injury to the Achilles tendon is its partial or complete rupture, in which a person cannot move ( for example, walking, running) using the injured leg and feels severe pain in the heel and in the area where the Achilles tendon is located. In such cases, the supporting function of the lower limb is completely preserved, since this tendon is not involved in maintaining the static position of the leg.

Ankle sprain

Heel bruise

Gout

One of the main symptoms is monoarthritis ( inflammation of one joint) or polyarthritis ( inflammation of several joints). Gout can affect various joints ( ankle, elbow, hip, knee, etc.), however, most often the joints of the foot are involved in the pathological process ( intertarsal, metatarsophalangeal, tarsometatarsal joints). Inflammation of the intertarsal joints ( calcaneocuboid, subtalar, talocaleonavicular, etc.) with gout leads to heel pain.

The causes of this disease may be congenital defects of the enzymes responsible for the utilization of uric acid in the body ( for example, a defect in hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase or adenine phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase), kidney pathology ( chronic renal failure, kidney cancer, polycystic disease, etc.), blood ( paraproteinemia, leukemia, polycythemia, etc.), consumption of large amounts of meat, alcohol, physical inactivity ( sedentary lifestyle) and etc.

Diabetic angiopathy

Such ulcers are most often localized on the foot, toes, heel, and ankle areas. With this pathology, there is also a decrease in local immunity, due to which leg ulcers are constantly infected and take a very long time to heal, so diabetic angiopathy is often complicated by osteomyelitis ( purulent inflammation of bones) and gangrene ( tissue death) feet. Such complications are constantly observed in patients, since with diabetic angiopathy there is damage to the nerve endings ( diabetic polyneuropathy), which is accompanied by a violation of the sensitivity of leg tissues.

Epiphysitis of the calcaneus

The first ossification point appears in the body of the calcaneus at 5–6 months. Ossification ( ossification) bones in the area of ​​this point begins at the moment when the child is born. At approximately 8–9 years of age, the child develops a second ossification point in the apophysis ( process of bone, near its end) calcaneus, from which the calcaneal tuberosity is formed. After its appearance, both points gradually begin to grow together. Their complete fusion ends when the child turns 16–18 years old.

Epiphysitis of the calcaneus ( Sever's disease) is a pathology in which inflammation of the heel bone occurs as a result of partial separation of the apophysis ( bony process from which the calcaneal tuber will subsequently arise) from her body, due to the incomplete process of fusion and ossification. This pathology is observed mainly in children 9 - 14 years old ( since the first and second ossification points are completely fused by 16–18 years).

Various factors contribute to the development of this disease ( excessive physical activity, persistent injuries, abnormal development of the foot, calcium and vitamin D deficiency), which cause damage to the cartilage tissue in the heel bone and partial rupture of its connective tissue fibers, which disrupts the normal fusion of both points of ossification and ossification ( ossification) the entire bone as a whole. Heel pain with epiphysitis of the calcaneus is projected onto its lateral sides and occurs due to inflammatory processes inside the heel bone.

Osteochondropathy of the calcaneal tuberosity

Such loads cause mechanical damage to the vessels of the heel area, as a result of which they narrow and microcirculation is disrupted. The lack of blood supply to the tissues of the heel bone provokes the development of dystrophic and necrotic changes in it, which is why it becomes inflamed. Haglund-Schinz disease is characterized by the appearance of diffuse pain in the heel area ( in the area of ​​the heel tubercle), which intensify with physical activity and extension of the foot. Particularly severe pain is usually projected at the junction of the Achilles tendon with the tubercle of the heel bone. They can be easily identified by palpation ( feeling with fingers).

Bursitis

Reactive arthritis

One of the main features of urogenital reactive arthritis is the occurrence of pain in the heel area. Their appearance is associated with damage to various types of connective tissue structures located in the heel zone. The most common cause of this type of arthritis is enthesitis of the Achilles tendon ( inflammation of the tendon insertion into the heel bone), tendonitis ( inflammation) Achilles tendon, enthesitis of the plantar aponeurosis ( inflammation of the site of attachment of the plantar aponeurosis to the calcaneus). The localization of pain always depends on which structure is affected and inflamed. For example, with enthesitis or tendonitis of the Achilles tendon, pain is felt on the back of the heel; with enthesitis of the plantar aponeurosis, the patient experiences pain in the area of ​​the underside of the heel.

Tuberculosis of the calcaneus

Osteomyelitis of the calcaneus

Diagnosis of the causes of heel pain

Haglund's deformity

When palpating the back surface of the heel in this disease, one can identify a pathological bone growth, swelling of the adjacent tissues and severe local pain. To confirm that the patient has Haglund's deformity, he needs to have an X-ray examination of the heel area. Sometimes such a patient may also be prescribed an ultrasound examination ( Ultrasound), which is necessary for visualization and assessment of the condition of the Achilles tendon and retrocalcaneal bursa ( bursa located between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone).

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

An important diagnostic sign of tarsal tunnel syndrome is the Tinel sign ( the appearance of pain and numbness in the areas of innervation of the tibial nerve when tapping with fingers in the area of ​​the tarsal canal). By palpating the back of the entire leg, localized tenderness can often be detected. To confirm that the patient has damage to the tibial nerve, electroneuromyography is prescribed. In order to identify the cause of tarsal tunnel syndrome, patients are prescribed radiation research methods ( radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging).

Heel bone crack

Heel spur

When feeling ( palpation) in the heel region, it is possible to detect increased pain in the localization area of ​​the calcaneal tubercle - the place of attachment of the plantar fascia to it. In addition to clinical examinations, such patients may also be prescribed an X-ray examination of the heel in two mutually perpendicular projections. This study helps not only to establish the exact localization of inflammation and the presence of osteophytes ( heel spurs) in the area of ​​the heel tubercle, but also to exclude other possible pathologies ( for example, calcaneal tumors, osteomyelitis, calcaneal fracture, etc.).

Achilles tendon sprain

To diagnose an Achilles tendon sprain, it is very important to clarify in the patient the events and circumstances under which pain in the heel appeared, since, in most cases, such an injury occurs during physical activity, mechanical injuries to the leg, a fall from a height, or poor warm-up before training etc. Therefore, anamnestic data serve as a very important criterion for diagnosing an Achilles tendon sprain. In addition to asking the patient about his complaints and collecting anamnesis, he should also be prescribed an ultrasound examination, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Using these methods, you can quickly identify damage to the Achilles tendon and exclude other possible pathologies ( ). X-ray examination in such cases is not effective, since radiographs ( X-ray images) sprains are usually unrecognizable.

Ankle sprain

Heel bruise

Gout

Diabetic angiopathy

If a patient is diagnosed with diabetes, he is scheduled for consultations with doctors of the appropriate profile, who can establish and confirm the presence of one or another complication. For example, an ophthalmologist may detect that he has diabetic retinopathy ( retinal damage due to diabetes), a general practitioner can identify diabetic nephropathy in a patient ( kidney damage due to diabetes), a surgeon usually diagnoses diabetic angiopathy of the lower extremities.

For diabetic angiopathy of the lower extremities on the leg ( or legs) in the patient, most often in the foot area, ulcers are visible against the background of dry, atrophied skin that has a pale or cyanotic color. The skin is often cracked and peeling. Pain in the heel area always has varying intensity, which is not related to the area and depth of ulcerative defects. This is due to the presence of diabetic polyneuropathy ( nerve damage), in which there is a noticeable decrease in skin sensitivity. Sometimes such patients experience intermittent claudication ( that is, when walking they cannot put their feet on their feet normally due to pain). To assess peripheral blood supply ( which is significantly impaired in this pathology) various methods are used ( ultrasound examination, X-ray contrast angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, etc.).

Epiphysitis of the calcaneus

Osteochondropathy of the calcaneal tuberosity

Bursitis

For posterior calcaneal bursitis ( inflammation of the superficial Achilles tendon bursa) swelling is more distinct ( in the form of a knot) and is located on the posterior surface of the Achilles tendon. This type of bunion occurs in people who periodically wear tight, hard-backed shoes ( rear edge). Radiation research methods can help the doctor establish a final diagnosis ( ultrasound, radiography, computed tomography). These studies can accurately identify signs of bursitis - an increase in the size of the synovial bursa, hypertrophy ( thickening) its shell, the appearance of pathological contents inside it.

Reactive arthritis

The results of some laboratory tests are also important diagnostic signs of reactive arthritis. Patients suspected of having this disease undergo immunological typing ( study) for the presence of the HLA-B27 antigen ( a molecule on the surface of white blood cells that determines a patient's susceptibility to developing reactive arthritis), serological tests and PCR ( polymerase chain reaction) for the presence of antigens in his blood ( particles) harmful microbes ( which have caused urogenital infections in the past), as well as microbiological examination of smears from the urethra, cervical canal, eye conjunctiva ( for detection of chlamydia).

Tuberculosis of the calcaneus

Osteomyelitis of the calcaneus

How to treat when your heel hurts?

Haglund's deformity

Tarsal tunnel syndrome

Heel bone crack

In the first 7 to 10 days, the patient must walk with the help of crutches, and leaning on the cast leg is not allowed. After this period, you can begin full walking, gradually increasing the load on the damaged heel area. The patient's full working capacity is restored after 3 to 4 months. This long rehabilitation period is explained by the fact that the heel bone serves as the main supporting structure when a person walks. When standing upright, the entire weight of the person’s body presses on this bone, so it is very important that the patient endures the entire period of immobilization of the leg to completely heal the fracture and prevent various complications ( for example, displacement of bone fragments, increase in the size of the crack, etc.).

Heel spur

Achilles tendon sprain

If a patient has severe pain in the back of the heel, in addition to cold compresses, he needs to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( ibuprofen, baralgin, diclofenac, etc.). It should be remembered that severe pain in the back of the heel can also appear with other pathologies ( for example, with a rupture of the Achilles tendon, a fracture of the heel bone, etc.), therefore, before self-medicating an Achilles tendon strain, it is recommended to first consult with your doctor. Physiotherapeutic procedures also help with this sprain ( cryotherapy, electrophoresis, ultra-high-frequency therapy, ultra-high-frequency therapy, low-frequency magnetic therapy, massage, therapeutic exercises, etc.), which significantly reduce the rehabilitation time, which takes quite significant periods of time in such patients ( on average, from 2 weeks to 2 – 3 months).

Ankle sprain

Heel bruise

Gout

Diabetic angiopathy

Epiphysitis of the calcaneus

In very rare cases ( for example, when the pain in the heel is unbearable) the doctor may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to the patient. These drugs reduce inflammation in tissues and relieve heel pain. However, these drugs should not be abused, since the disease is not so serious and dangerous. Painful sensations in the heel during treatment will not go away immediately, sometimes they can last more than one week ( sometimes up to 1 – 3 months). It all depends on the speed of fusion between the partially separated sections of the heel bone. If a deficiency of calcium or vitamin D is detected in a child, he is prescribed appropriate medications. In severe clinical situations ( which is quite rare) such patients may be given a plaster cast on the leg to completely immobilize the injured limb.

Osteochondropathy of the calcaneal tuberosity

Bursitis

Reactive arthritis

Tuberculosis of the calcaneus

Osteomyelitis of the calcaneus

Why do my heels hurt in the morning?

Why does the back of my heel hurt?

Why does the inside of my heel hurt?

Which doctor should I consult if my heels hurt?

If such pain is simultaneously associated with pain in other joints, it is better to consult a rheumatologist, since damage to several joints at once most likely indicates that the patient has an autoimmune or metabolic disease ( for example, reactive arthritis, gout, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.). If, with heel pain, ulcers appear on the skin of the heel area and the patient has the main symptoms of diabetes mellitus ( increased desire for food and water consumption, weight loss, frequent trips to the toilet), then he should definitely go to an endocrinologist.

What ointment can you use when your heel hurts?

For other diseases ( e.g. bruised heel, Achilles tendon sprain, ankle sprain, heel spur, Haglund's deformity, bursitis) ointments help the heel area quite well, which is why they are prescribed to the patient in most cases. In addition, local remedies do not have such a toxic effect on the body as tablets do. Local remedies act much faster, as a result of which they are preferred for injuries to the heel area and if the patient has a superficial inflammatory process.

For heel pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually prescribed ( NSAIDs), painkillers and local irritants. NSAIDs ( diclofenac, indomethacin, ketoprofen, etc.) reduce pain, swelling and redness at the site of injury. It is recommended to begin applying an ointment based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs immediately after injury. Also on the first day you can use an ointment containing an anesthetic ( pain reliever), for example, menovazin. A few days later, after the swelling at the injury site has subsided, the patient should apply locally irritating ointments to the painful area ( finalgon, viprosal, gevkamen, nicoflex, etc.). It should be remembered that locally irritating ointments cannot be used in the first day after injury, as they contribute to increased swelling.

Why does your heel hurt and why does it hurt to step on?

Why does the side of my heel hurt?

Why does the sole of my heel hurt?

What folk remedies can be used when heels hurt?

Folk remedies can usually be used for mechanical foot injuries - heel bruises, ankle or Achilles tendon sprains, bursitis. Sometimes they help with plantar fasciitis ( heel spur). It should be remembered that before self-medication, you must first consult with your doctor.

Folk remedies that can be used for heel pain are as follows:

• Tincture of white acacia flowers. This tincture is used for heel spurs. To prepare it, take white acacia flowers and mix them with vodka in a ratio of 1/3. Tincture of white acacia flowers should be lubricated on the sole of the foot several times a day.
• Tincture of marsh cinquefoil. Take and mix the roots of marsh cinquefoil with vodka in a ratio of 1/3. After this, this mixture must be infused for 24 hours. It is recommended to consume this tincture 2 tablespoons 3 times a day. Tincture of cinquefoil is usually indicated for patients with plantar fasciitis.
• Potato compress. Potato compresses are often applied to the site of injury for a bruised heel, sprained ankle or Achilles tendon, as well as for various types of bursitis. To make such a compress, you need to take several raw potatoes and grate them. After this, you need to make a gauze compress from the resulting slurry, which should be applied to the site of injury several times a day.
• Compress made from plantain leaves. Take one tablespoon of dry, mashed plantain leaves and mix them with finely chopped onion ( 1 small onion). After this, an equal amount of honey should be added to this mixture. All this must then be placed in a boiling water bath and placed well. The resulting aqueous solution then needs to be infused and filtered. It can be used to make compresses that are applied to sore spots on the heel caused by a bruised heel, sprained ankle or Achilles tendon.
• Horsetail infusion. To prepare it, you need to place 50 - 60 grams of dry horsetail herb in 500 ml of boiling water. The resulting mixture must be left for 30 – 60 minutes. After this, the tincture must be filtered and made into a gauze compress, which should then be applied to the sore heel 2 - 3 times a day.

What causes a child's heel pain?

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:

1. If you feel pain in your heel when walking, it may mean that you are wearing heels that are too high for you.
2. 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.”
3. Your heels may become sore after walking for a long time or after standing for a long time.
4. If you've recently gained extra pounds, are pregnant, or are diagnosed with obesity, your heel pain may be due to excess weight.

Inflammatory diseases

Plantar fasciitis

If pain appears mainly in the morning, after sleep (pain can appear on both legs at once, or, for example, only on the right leg), and intensifies when walking, it is likely that this is plantar fasciitis (also called plantar fasciitis). ).

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

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

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

Heel spur

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

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

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

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

Purulent bursitis

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

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

Tendinitis (inflammation) of the Achilles tendon

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

Malignant tumors

At the beginning of the disease, mild pain is felt 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 most rapidly in childhood; in adults they grow more slowly. However, in both cases, such symptoms are an urgent reason to visit a 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

It occurs when there is a sudden strong blow to the heels, for example, if a person jumps from a height and lands unsuccessfully. The blow causes a 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 disorder of bone growth at the back of the heel bone, where the Achilles tendon attaches to it.

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

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

Systemic diseases

Ankylosing spondylitis

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

Painful sensations in the heels with reactive arthritis appear constantly. They can be felt most acutely at night, in a dream. The course of the disease is characterized by 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. With bone tuberculosis, a purulent fistula or open cavity forms, but after several 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 the soft tissues of the heel. 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, either local or general temperature rises, 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, the feet do not bend - Seeing a doctor is inevitable!

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

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

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

Prevention of heel pain

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

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

1. Fight excess weight, as it increases pressure on the heels.
2. If you have flat feet, after consultation with your doctor, choose orthopedic insoles.
3. Wear comfortable shoes made from natural materials with heels no higher than 5 centimeters. Shoes with no difference in instep height are not recommended.
4. Massage your feet regularly (either on your own or visit a massage therapist).
5. Maintain a sufficient level of 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

The heel bone is exposed to stress every day when standing, walking, running, or doing heavy work. This is the largest bone of the foot, which, due to its shape, strength and the fatty tissue located on it, acts as a shock absorber. However, under significant loads, it is vulnerable to injury, which usually leads to heel pain.

Let us list the main possible reasons that often cause pain in this part of the foot. These are injuries; proliferation of heel bone tissue; excess weight; thinning of the fatty tissue on the heel; overstrain of the heel bone (long stay in a “standing” position or walking in high heels); some systemic diseases; inflammatory processes in the joints and soft tissues of the foot; penetration of infection into the joints.

No pain should be left to chance. In addition to the fact that it brings discomfort to normal life, it can also signal a serious problem in the body. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo an examination, determine the cause of the pain and begin adequate treatment.

The most common cause of intense heel pain is bone growth in the sole. This disease is called plantar fasciitis, or in common parlance -. As a rule, it is caused by flat feet, excess weight, diseases of the joints and spine.

Depending on the diagnosis, the following are prescribed: massages, physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory and painkillers, compresses, nutritional supplements and medications that restore bones. Along with therapeutic treatment, folk remedies can also be used. Let's look at the most effective recipes that will help relieve heel pain at home.

Foot baths

1. Contrasting colors will help relieve pain in the soles. To do this, take two bowls and fill them with hot and cold water, respectively. You can add chamomile decoction to hot water. Alternate keeping your feet in the water. Repeat up to 16 times for 30 seconds. Then the soles are lubricated with fat and massaged.
2. This recipe will help relieve pain and... 300 g of salt are dissolved in one liter of hot water. The solution is poured into a basin and the legs are lowered into it for 20 minutes. The course of treatment for inflammation of the heel tissue or spurs takes about two weeks.

Mix lemon juice with water and freeze. Massage the sore sole with the prepared ice until the skin becomes slightly numb (8-10 minutes).

Compresses

1. This remedy will help get rid of pain and heel spurs. A spoonful of powdered school chalk is mixed with the same amount of garlic mass. The soles are steamed in hot water and the mixture is applied to the heel. Secure the compress with a bandage.
2. For heel spurs and severe pain, apply this compress before bed. Black radish is grated on a fine grater along with the peel. The pulp is spread on gauze and applied to the sore spot. Next, cover the sole with plastic film and fix it. Put on socks. In the morning the mixture is washed off.

3. A compress of grated horseradish root helps quickly.

4. People have long treated heel pain this way. Chop onion (200 g). The pulp was tied to the problem area in the form of a compress for the whole night. The procedures were carried out until complete recovery. (Usually enough: 5-7 times).

5. Boil potatoes in their jackets, mash and add 2-3 drops of Lugol. The mass is spread on plastic wrap and bandaged to the affected leg. Insulate the compress (or put on a wool sock). Leave it until the morning. The procedures are carried out until the pain in the heel stops.

6. There is also a folk remedy with potatoes that will relieve inflammation in the heel bone and get rid of spurs. Just like in the previous recipe, potatoes are boiled in their jackets. Knead together with the peel and pour in a little pure kerosene. The mass is spread on gauze and tied to the heel. Cellophane is placed on top. After 7-10 procedures, you can forget about the spur and discomfort.

7. Several pods of hot pepper are crushed into a mushy mass, a little honey is added and tied to the heel as a compress. Keep the bandage for no more than 6 hours. Then the mixture is washed off, and the sole is generously lubricated with rich cream or oil.
8. This recipe will get rid of heel spurs. A crust of rye bread is smeared with birch tar and applied to the sore spot. Wrap the sole with a bandage and cellophane film. Leave until morning. The procedure is carried out over 5 days. (You can do it every other day).

9. Just like in the previous recipe, use tar. The onion is crushed and mixed with a small amount of this birch product. The mixture is applied to the sore spot, the sole is wrapped in cellophane film and insulated. Keep the compress for at least 5-6 hours. The procedures are carried out daily for 5 days.

10. This folk remedy will help you remove it. Mix: one teaspoon of fine salt, one tablespoon of honey and a pharmaceutical bottle of 5% alcohol solution of iodine (50 ml). The mixture is applied to gauze or a napkin and applied to the heel. They tie the leg with plastic wrap or put on bags and bandage it. Warm socks are worn on top.

11. Animal bile has shown good results in the treatment of heel pain. It can be applied to the sole in its pure form, but it is better to prepare the product as follows: mix 30 g of bile, 1 spoon of medical alcohol and 1 tablespoon (tablespoon) of laundry soap crushed into shavings. The prepared mass is applied in the form of a compress to the soles of the soles, previously steamed in hot water.

Treating heels with knotweed

A compress made from fresh crushed leaves of trampoline (knotweed) will relieve pain, inflammation and normalize blood circulation in tissues with heel spurs. The grass of the plant can be placed in shoes and walked with it all day. In the morning it should be replaced with a new one.

Tincture for internal use

Tincture of cinquefoil (cinquefoil) will help relieve pain. The stems of the plant are finely chopped, filled into a half-liter jar and filled with high-quality vodka. Close the container and place it in a dark and fairly warm place for three weeks. The product is drunk one tablespoon three times a day, after diluting it with a small amount of water. This tincture is also applied or rubbed into the sore heel joint.

Effective folk remedies

1. The old method will help. Take half a glass of strong homemade moonshine. They set it on fire. Place your heel over the flame and warm it thoroughly. After this, the sole is lubricated with rosehip oil and massaged. After warming up, you can also roll a dried ear of corn with your feet or walk on small pebbles.
2. An effective and proven folk remedy for heel spurs and pain. Take 80 ml of vinegar essence and place a whole fresh egg in it. Send the composition to a cool, dark place for 25 days. During this time the shell will completely dissolve. Add 80 milliliters of vegetable oil to the mixture and mix well. The feet are steamed in hot water and a thin layer is applied to the sore heel. After this, wrap the sole with plastic wrap. Remove the bandage in the morning or if severe burning occurs. After 4-5 procedures, the discomfort will completely and permanently go away.

It should be remembered that heel pain can sometimes occur due to serious problems in the body. Therefore, if, after using traditional recipes for quite a long time, the painful sensations have not decreased, you should definitely visit a traumatologist or rheumatologist.

Pain that appears in the heel area prevents a person from walking normally, prevents him from moving long distances and causes significant discomfort. And when the pain becomes unbearable, it can lead to temporary immobilization. To eliminate such pain and return to your normal life, you must first determine why the heels of your feet hurt. And only then the necessary therapy is selected, which in each individual case will have its own characteristics.

Inflammatory diseases

When faced with heel pain, a person first of all considers causes that are not related to possible diseases. This can be walking in shoes with very high heels, which causes overstrain of the tissues of the entire foot. Sometimes a painful spasm in this area occurs due to a multiple increase in mobility itself, and sometimes sharply gained excess weight can put stress on the lower part of the body and thereby provoke pain in the heel. However, this phenomenon can also be encountered when it comes to the development of one of the following inflammatory diseases:

• heel spur;
• achilles;
• osteochondropathy of the tubercle located on the heel bone;
• heel bursitis;
• loading periostitis.

A heel spur (plantar fasciitis) is formed due to severe stretching or regular damage to the heel bone by a growth that appears on the plantar part of the foot. You can encounter this disease due to prolonged standing on your feet, as well as due to a bone injury or due to flat feet. In all these cases, the inflamed fascia contributes to the formation of a bone growth on the heel, which injures it when walking, thereby causing constant pain. It becomes especially pronounced after waking up, while running and walking. The painful spasm may only decrease when treatment is started, but usually the remission phase does not last long.

Achilles is a disease characterized by an inflammatory process occurring in the Achilles tendon. It develops due to systematic loads placed on the calf muscles. This is especially true when jumping and climbing uphill.

Achillitis always provokes unpleasant pain in the heel

This disease can also be caused by wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes and walking in high heels. In these cases, the painful spasm is localized in the tendon area, sometimes moving to the ankle. In this case, swelling occurs on the foot. And if the treatment process in such a situation is not started on time, then the inflammation becomes purulent, and the pain above the heel is so severe that the person cannot take a step. If left untreated, tendon rupture may occur. And here only emergency medical intervention can help.

Osteochondropathy of the calcaneal tuberosity develops when a large load is placed on the spongy areas of the heel. Moreover, the reasons contributing to this can be varied. In this case, pain begins to appear every time the feet encounter a load. Normal walking with feet begins to cause incredible pain; a person moves only with the help of auxiliary devices, and he only steps on the toe area of ​​the foot. The soft tissues above the heel swell, and gradually all this leads to atrophy of the lower leg muscles.

Calcaneal bursitis is a pathology in which all the accompanying symptoms of the inflammatory process occur. This is pain, swelling of the tissue above the heel, limited mobility of the foot, and redness of the affected area.

Stress periostitis is manifested by an inflammatory process occurring in the periosteum. This happens due to excessive loads placed on this part of the foot. Weightlifters and track and field athletes usually experience this disease. A characteristic feature of the disease is that inflammation and pain begin to disappear a few weeks after stopping training.

Other Causes of Heel Pain

In addition to inflammatory diseases, the heel can hurt for other reasons. It could be a heel sarcoma. At first, the pain syndrome is not very pronounced and a person easily blocks it by taking analgesics. But after some time the spasm becomes more noticeable. An accompanying symptom is sudden weight loss, and anemia may develop. And if the tumor grows, it can lead to fractures of the heel bone.

Sometimes neuropathy of the tibial nerve provokes a malfunction of the foot and the formation of trophic changes in the skin above the heel. Which leads to pain in this part. A peculiarity of this disease is that severe painful spasms can be replaced by numbness of the affected area.

Foot injuries also lead to pain. It could be:

• calcaneal fracture;
• epiphysitis;
• injury.

A heel bone fracture occurs when a very strong blow falls on this area. In this case, a person is unable to rest on his heel, and it is difficult for him to take steps. Movement in the ankle area becomes limited, and severe pain occurs.

A calcaneal fracture not only causes pain, but also limits the movement of the foot.

Epiphysitis hides the separation of cartilage tissue that occurs between two points of ossification. Typically, this disorder is observed in children from 7 to 16 years old, when increased load is placed on the heel. And in this case, pain often appears after sleep. As for the bruise, it also provokes pain in the heel, which is especially noticeable when walking.

Infectious diseases can provoke heel pain syndrome. These are tuberculosis of the skeletal system and osteomyelitis. In these cases, additional signs always appear indicating the development of a particular disease. Pathologies caused by metabolic disorders also lead to pain in the heel. These include rheumatoid arthritis or those arising from psoriasis, gout, and ankylosing spondylitis. And here it is necessary to treat severe heel pain only by eliminating the underlying disease. When the disease is defeated, the painful spasm will gradually disappear.

First aid for heel pain

Before you begin complex therapy and find out how to treat heel pain, you can try to take measures to help relieve the uncomfortable spasm. If a person is bothered by aching pain, then ice wrapped in a cloth can be applied to the heel for 25 minutes. This is especially true when the pain syndrome is caused by a foot injury. Instead of ice, you can try making cold baths. If heel pain is caused by prolonged exposure to high heels, then a relaxing massage will help, after which your feet should be placed as high as possible and rest for a while.

When a person suffers from acute pain, then a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory or painkiller can be taken. If pain symptoms are regular, it is recommended to take Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Nurofen or Ketoprofen. The foot can be lubricated with ointments such as Butadion or Fastum gel. All this will help block pain at home.

The most common measures to combat pain

Heel pain, which appears as a result of ongoing inflammatory processes, must be eliminated comprehensively. What do we have to do? Every day, the feet should be steamed in warm water, after which Diprilife and Diclofenac (1% or 5%) should be rubbed into the affected area. For pain of moderate intensity, you can take Movasil, Dicloberl, Fanigan or Nimesil orally. But only if the person does not suffer from stomach diseases.

If the heel is very painful, then a blockade is performed using Diprospan and Lidocaine. The drugs are administered to the point where the most noticeable spasm occurs. This treatment method is most suitable for blocking pain caused by heel spurs or arthritis.

Drug blockade instantly eliminates pain spasm

When it comes to trophic disorders occurring in the heel area, then agents are used that improve blood circulation in the affected area (Actovegin, Tivortin). If you have a dry callus, which also causes your heel to hurt, you can try sticking on a special patch that will begin to corrode the growth and thereby speed up the process of its disappearance. Alternatively, you can use a lactic acid solution.

Regardless of the cause that provoked the heel disease, physical therapy exercises and various foot massages give good results. Experts also recommend wearing orthopedic insoles and choosing only comfortable shoes during the treatment period.

Traditional medicine recipes

In addition to the basic and recommended measures to help eliminate heel pain, you can use folk remedies that also give good therapeutic results. For heel spurs, you need to use a tincture made from marsh cinquefoil. To do this, a tablespoon of alcohol solution must be diluted with 100 ml of water and this medicine should be taken orally three times a day before the main meal. The duration of the entire course, which will help cure the disease and block pain, will be three weeks.

A salt compress can have a noticeable effect.

It is prepared from a tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of salt and a few drops of iodine. All components are mixed and laid out on a piece of gauze, which is then fixed on the sore heel and left overnight.

A tincture based on lilac flowers will help quickly relieve pain. It is better to take a dry plant, which is filled with vodka and infused in a dark place for ten days. Then the infusion is filtered and taken every day, one teaspoon at a time. The medicine can be taken with water. The same composition can be rubbed on the area behind the heel. Or you can try applying a fresh burdock leaf to the sore spot. A sock is put on top. This compress is worn until the plant is completely dry. Then you need to take a fresh sheet and repeat the procedure.

When faced with a problem such as heel pain, it is necessary to immediately take action and begin treatment. You shouldn’t wait for her to get sick even more and thereby affect the entire mobility of the body. But before starting therapy, it is necessary to establish the cause that provoked this phenomenon. Knowing what exactly caused the painful spasm in the heel area, it will be possible to select a comprehensive treatment and achieve a complete recovery.

The heel, like the rest of the foot, acts as a shock absorber. The heel bone is the largest bone in the foot. Together with a soft fat layer, it can withstand enormous loads when running and walking. It is through the heel that many nerves and blood vessels pass to other parts of the foot, making it very susceptible to injury and disease.

Any painful sensations in the legs can greatly ruin your life, because every step is difficult and your overall vitality drops sharply. It is very important to find out why your heels hurt in order to restore ease of gait as quickly as possible.

Heels hurt, causes

Heel pain can occur due to many factors. First of all, it is constant overstrain and overload of the foot, which leads to pain. Most often, the reason is the wrong shoes, this is especially true for women who regularly wear high-heeled shoes. This can also be caused by shoes with unusually low heels, a sharp increase in physical activity, or staying on your feet for a long time.

The causes of heel pain can be various diseases, including:

• Arthritis is when the tissue that runs along the foot and connects the toes to the heel bone becomes inflamed. The painful sensations intensify gradually, and the heels hurt especially badly in the morning;
• Plantar fasciitis. The fascia of the sole is a dense formation located in the connective tissue that runs along the entire sole of the foot. Regularly wearing tight shoes or working in a job that requires you to be on your feet all the time can lead to inflammation of the fascia. In addition to pain, plantar fasciitis causes salt deposition at the site of inflammation, which provokes the formation of heel spurs;
• Heel spur is a chronic form of heel fasciitis, in which the deposition of calcium salts under the skin leads to the formation of a peculiar growth. It puts pressure on surrounding tissues, causing the heel to hurt when walking. The pain is most intense in the morning after sleep, during the day it subsides a little, but can resume and intensify again;
• Any tendon injury, sprain or tear, can also lead to sharp, burning pain right under the heel, which is especially severe when walking or physical activity;
• Reactive arthritis - sometimes the heels hurt due to the development of infectious processes in the body, most often chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases. Latent infection provokes reactive inflammation of the heel tendon, which leads to constant pain that worsens at night;
• Some other diseases, such as gout.

These diseases do not go away on their own, therefore, when your heel hurts severely when walking, you should consult a doctor, traumatologist or rheumatologist. The heel is a very vulnerable part of the body, and healing usually takes weeks and months. Regardless of the diagnosis, to completely get rid of discomfort while moving, you need to be patient and strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations.

How to get rid of heel pain in the morning

If your heel hurts in the morning, there are several methods that can help cope with severe painful sensations in the heels that appear at the very beginning of the day:

• Cold treatment - to relieve pain, you can massage the heel with an ice cube for 5-7 minutes until numbness. This procedure should be repeated during the day, 3-4 times. It is also effective to alternate cold with heat. To do this, first apply ice to the sore heel for 15 minutes, then take a break for 15 minutes. and finish the procedure by applying a hot heating pad for another 15 minutes;
• Painkillers – for the treatment of any inflammatory diseases, including those that cause pain in the heels when stepping, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, Ibuprofen, are effective;
• Using a heel pad can reduce pain by distributing the load on the heel more evenly. To do this, it is recommended to use special inserts that are inserted into shoes and raise this part of the body by 3-6 mm, thereby slightly reducing the load on the transition zone of the sole to the heel.

How to avoid heel pain

To prevent the development of serious problems, you should carefully monitor your health. So, extra pounds are not only harmful to the whole body, they increase the load on the heels, so it is important to maintain normal weight.

Wearing comfortable shoes with low heels (up to 5 cm) is the most important preventive measure for the occurrence of foot diseases. Often the heel hurts due to overstrain of the foot, and a low heel distributes the load evenly over its entire surface. If there are even minimal signs of flat feet, it is necessary to use special orthopedic insoles that support the muscles and ligaments of the foot, protecting the heel.

It is extremely useful, even for a completely healthy person, to regularly perform special therapeutic exercises to prevent leg diseases.

Heels hurt, gymnastics

There are several effective exercises for strengthening and healing the muscles of the legs, including the heels:

• Roll a small ball, such as a tennis ball, with your feet. This exercise must be done daily a couple of times a day for a few minutes;
• Knead and stretch your calves and feet. Give a massage, best at the end of the day, before bed;
• Stand facing a wall at arm's length from it. Place your palms against the wall, take a step back with your right foot, and bend your left at the knee. Lean toward the wall and place your right heel on the floor to stretch the muscles in your right calf. After standing like this for 10 seconds, switch legs and repeat the exercise several times for each leg.

Regular exercise will help prevent heel pain when stepping. When performing them, increase the load gradually to avoid injury.

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