Why Does My Heel Hurt?

Complaints of heel pain are one of the most common reasons for seeing your podiatrist. Heel pain is often felt as a radiating pain from other parts of the foot and the actual source of the discomfort can be hard to locate. Repetitive stress from working and exercising and from wearing poorly fitting shoes like high heels are often implicated. Be sure to see your podiatrist for the proper diagnosis and treatment.

3 of the most common causes of heel pain include the following:

1)    Sever’s disease—This condition affects adolescents and results when a growth plate in the heel doesn’t keep up with the growth of the bone. Kids usually outgrow this condition as the plate and bone growth rates stabilize.

2)    Tarsal tunnel syndrome—This is a condition that is similar to the more common wrist condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome. A nerve that goes through the tarsal tunnel area of the foot also travels around the heel where pain can radiate. This nerve can become damaged from diseases like arthritis and diabetes and people who have untreated flatfoot are also often affected.

3)    Achilles tendonitis—The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body. It makes the connection between your heel and calf and allows you to do activities that are often taken for granted such as walking. The tendon can become injured and inflamed or even broken in extreme stress situations which would require surgery and a long recovery period.

The causes of heel pain can often be difficult to trace without the help of your foot doctor, so if you have pain in your heel, we highly recommend that you consult our board certified podiatrists Andrew Shapiro, DPM and Michael Barkin, DPM. With access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, we can assist you with heel pain, ankle sprains, diabetic foot care, toe deformities, nail fungus, and skin problems, among many other conditions. Our practice is conveniently located on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream to accommodate all of your foot care needs. Call (516) 825-3860 or book an appointment online today!