home Auditorium 8 Sore heels and how to treat them. Heel pain hurts to step on, how to treat it. Inflammatory diseases

Sore heels and how to treat them. Heel pain hurts to step on, how to treat it. Inflammatory diseases

Pain in the heels is not always associated with diseases or injuries. Sometimes their reasons are due to physiology, and turn out to be the most banal.

For example:

If you feel pain in your heel when walking, it may mean that you are wearing heels that are too high for you.
Painful sensations in this area can also be triggered by a decrease in subcutaneous fat under the surface of the sole, especially if you suddenly significantly increased your physical activity: it turns out that the heels seem to have “lost weight.”
Your heels may become sore after walking for a long time or after standing for a long time.
If you'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:

Fight excess weight, as it increases pressure on the heels.
If you have flat feet, after consultation with your doctor, choose orthopedic insoles.
Wear comfortable shoes made from natural materials with heels no higher than 5 centimeters. Shoes with no difference in instep height are not recommended.
Massage your feet regularly (either on your own or visit a massage therapist).
Maintain a sufficient level 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 main function of the heel bone is shock absorption. The heel is very sensitive due to the fact that it contains a large number of blood vessels and nerve endings that go through it to other parts of the foot. Therefore, with any, even the most minor damage, a person feels pain.

For active and productive people, heel pain when walking can be a real challenge, preventing them from achieving their goals. But even if a person leads a sedentary lifestyle, heel pain in the morning after sleep can cause a lot of problems.

In order to somehow alleviate your plight, you must first understand what caused this pain, and only then take further action. Why do the heels of the feet hurt and how to treat them? Let's try to figure it out.

Causes of heel pain when walking

What could it be and how to treat it? Many people experience heel pain when walking, but do not pay attention to it, believing that it is the result of hitting the hard surface of the ground. A false assumption causes many problems in the future as the diseases causing the symptom continue to progress.

Let's look at the main causes of pain:

Causes of heel pain when walking that are not caused by diseases:

First of all, if you experience pain in your heel while walking, you need to pay attention to your shoes, this is especially true for women who love high heels. This is the most dangerous enemy of the foot. When wearing such shoes, the feet are constantly overloaded, as a result of which severe shooting pain in the heel may occur when walking.
Permanent being on your feet all day. By the end of the day, the legs become tired and a person may feel pain in the heels when walking.
Stable obesity or sudden weight gain and in a short time it helps to increase the load on the feet.
Heel bone bruise. As a result of the injury, nearby tissues may become inflamed, causing severe pain when walking. The symptoms are the same as for a tendon injury. Within a week, the injury site will turn red, then blue and yellow. Symptoms increase gradually.
Atrophy of the subcutaneous fat pad in the heel occurs as a result of sudden weight loss or increased daily physical activity coupled with physical overload.

As you can see, there are many causes of heel pain when walking, including after sleep. Therefore, it is important to consult a specialist if such signs occur. Indeed, in each individual case, treatment will differ depending on the cause, so it is worth conducting a diagnosis to find out what it could be.

Diagnostics

Before figuring out how to treat heel pain when walking, it is necessary to correctly diagnose the symptom, as well as determine the cause of its development. As a rule, to make a diagnosis, it is enough for an experienced specialist to:

patient complaints;
patient's medical history (presence or absence of previous pathologies, injuries);
examining the foot for any changes in it;
X-ray examination will give a clear picture of specific changes in the presence of certain diseases.

In some cases, this information may not be enough; you may need additional research:

(possible leukocytosis, increased ESR with ankylosing spondylitis).
biochemical blood test: increase in uric acid in gout.
microbiological tests to exclude the presence of bacteria affecting the development of rheumatoid arthritis;
bone puncture for further histological examination is carried out to exclude bone tuberculosis or oncology.

To eliminate heel pain, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease that led to this symptom. Although painkillers (ketorol, etc.) can temporarily relieve you of discomfort, you will not get rid of heel pain without eliminating the cause. Therefore, at the slightest painful manifestations, you should consult a doctor and begin treatment of the underlying disease as soon as possible.

How to treat heel pain when walking?

When heel pain occurs, treatment consists of medications and physiotherapeutic methods, resting the foot, massage and physical therapy. The constant use of special insoles reduces pressure on the disturbing area of the heel.

At home, heel pain when walking is treated with the following medications:

– Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Meloxicam. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes required (for example, for rheumatoid arthritis).
Ointments - “Diclofenac”, “Voltaren”, “Ketorol gel”, “Butadione”, “Piroxicam gel”.
Folk remedies: ointments, decoctions, soothing baths and anti-inflammatory lotions.

Additionally, a tight bandage is used and shockwave therapy sessions are performed. During the treatment period, the load on the foot should be limited. Physiotherapeutic approaches, massages and special exercises also often help. At the same time, the heel practically does not hurt when walking by the end of the day.

I have heel pain, which doctor should I contact?

Depending on whether there was an injury, doctors - therapist, traumatologist, orthopedist. You may need to consult specialists in the following specialties: neurologist, surgeon, oncologist, phthisiatrician.

If you are not sure about the cause of the pain, you can make an appointment with your local physician. After the examination, he will refer you to the right doctor.

Prevention

As you know, it is better to prevent a disease than to treat it later. Therefore, to prevent pain in the foot area, you can do the following:

Wear comfortable and properly fitted shoes. The heel is no higher than four centimeters, the shoes should not put pressure.
At home, do leg exercises: bend and straighten your feet in a sitting position for two minutes. You can also take a simple tennis ball and roll it along the floor with your feet. Perform the exercise for 5-7 minutes for each leg.
Eat right and take measures to combat excess weight.
Take contrast baths with herbs.
Walk barefoot on the grass and sand at the beach.

The most important thing is that you cannot assume that heel pain when walking will go away on its own. It can only get worse and develop into other, more serious diseases. Therefore, if pain occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Heel pain when walking is a fairly common symptom that can be caused by a wide range of both physiological and pathological causes. This condition is often observed in people from different age categories. It is worth noting that representatives of the fair half of humanity most often complain of heel pain. The reason for this is quite simple - women love high heels, and many of them wear them almost constantly.

The human heel is a unique part of the body. It has a special anatomical structure, as well as a fairly dense fat layer. All this gives her the ability to withstand enormous loads. But, despite all this, the heel is also a rather vulnerable place, since nerve fibers and blood vessels pass through it. It is damage to the nerve fibers that often becomes the main reason why heels hurt when walking, after sleep, etc.

Etiological factors

All the reasons why heels may hurt when walking, during sleep, and even at rest, clinicians conditionally divide into several large groups:

etiological factors that have no connection with pathological processes in the human body;
ailments in which the pathological process directly affects the structures of the heel and foot as a whole;
traumatization;
pathologies in the human body that affect the osteoarticular system.

Causes of heel pain that are not associated with pathological processes:

tension of the elements of the foot over a long period of time. Heel pain in this case is caused by wearing uncomfortable shoes, or by the fact that a person spends a lot of time on his feet;
the process of atrophy of the fat layer in the heel. In this case, heel pain occurs if a person has sharply decreased body weight, or if he performs daily physical activity that is not suitable for him (too intense);
Professional activities can also cause heel pain. Typically, people who, due to their work, are forced to be “on their feet” complain about such uncomfortable sensations;
or rapid weight gain. Heel pain occurs due to severe overload.

Foot pathologies that may cause heel pain when walking:

plantar fasciitis. It is this disease that most often causes heel pain when walking or even after sleep;
tarsal tunnel syndrome;
apophysitis of the calcaneus. It often causes heel pain in children. Often appears after a long run or intense physical activity;
Haglund-Schinz disease;
Achillodynia;
compression neuropathy of the plantar nerves;
hallux valgus;
sensory neuropathy, which has a hereditary type. It is characterized by the appearance of painful sensations not only when walking, but also after sleep, and even at rest.

Pathologies that lead to damage to articular joints and bone structures:

metastatic disease;
. First, the heels hurt when walking, later the pain occurs in the morning (after sleep) and accompanies the patient throughout the day. With extensive damage, pain in the heel is observed constantly;
malignant formations progressing in the bones of the feet. In this case, the heels hurt in the morning, and later the pain becomes chronic;
erythromelalgia;
heel pain can also occur as a person progresses through diseases caused by infectious agents;
cracks on the heels.

Diagnostics

Since heel pain when walking can be caused by many reasons, if it occurs systematically, you should seek qualified medical help from a doctor. Doing anything on your own for the purpose of treatment is prohibited, as you can only worsen your condition. If it hurts to step on your heel, then you should turn to or to. Sometimes additional consultation with doctors of specialized medical specialties may be required.

The doctor will conduct a physical examination of the patient, clarify the medical history, and then be able to prescribe a diagnostic plan. To make an accurate diagnosis, if there is pain in the heel when walking, you will need to undergo both instrumental and laboratory diagnostics.

Laboratory methods:

puncture of the joint capsule to obtain exudate. After the procedure, a bacterioscopic examination of the material is carried out;
donating blood to identify tumor markers;
bacteriological analysis of exudate from the joint capsule;
blood for sugar.

Instrumental diagnostics:

An important diagnostic method for heel pain when walking is radiography. Makes it possible to assess the condition of bone structures. It can be done for patients of different age categories;
puncture of the synovial bursa. This procedure is performed only if there is a suspicion that a person’s bursitis has progressed;
electroneuromyography;
bone puncture is a method used to obtain a piece of bone marrow;

Therapeutic measures

For a more accurate diagnosis, the doctor will need to evaluate the test results, and only then will he be able to prescribe the optimal treatment plan. But for therapy to be effective, the patient should:

reduce body weight if it significantly exceeds the norm;
reduce the load on your legs;
do special exercises for the legs;
wear orthopedic shoes.

Depending on what pathological process provoked the appearance of such an unpleasant symptom, a treatment plan is prescribed. Doing anything on your own, without the approval of your doctor, is prohibited.

The treatment plan may include:

prescription of antibiotics;
prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs;
massage;
carrying out extra-articular drug blockade;
application of physiotherapeutic methods;
compresses on the heel;
set of exercises.

Causes of heel pain

Heel pain (painful to step on) is an extremely common complaint that can be caused by several reasons. It is necessary to make the most accurate diagnosis so that the appropriate treatment can be selected. If you have heel pain, the reasons may be:

- Plantar fasciitis is the most common condition that causes heel pain. It occurs due to irritation and inflammation of the tough tissue that forms the arch of the foot. Common symptoms of the disease include heel pain when walking or standing for long periods of time.

Heel spurs usually occur with chronic plantar fasciitis in an advanced form.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the tibial nerve, which runs from the calf to the foot.

- Heel bone fractures are a fairly rare cause. This injury is usually caused by hitting the heels during a fall while standing from a height.

It happens that the heel hurts (it hurts to step on it) in athletes, for example, long-distance runners.

Posterior achilles bursitis causes pain behind the heel. The cause may be inflammation of the synovial bursa.

Heel hurts - it hurts to step on: when to see a doctor

If you are unsure or do not know the cause of your symptoms, you should contact your doctor for specific advice. If your heels hurt, treatment should be based on an accurate diagnosis. Some signs that you should visit a doctor:

Inability to step on the affected leg.

Heel pain that occurs while resting or at night.

The pain persists for several days.

Swelling or discoloration of the back of the leg.

Signs of infection including fever, redness, temperature.

Any other strange symptoms.

Heels hurt: treatment

Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the disease. Therefore, it is imperative that you know the diagnosis before starting treatment. You should not self-medicate. Be sure to consult a doctor so that he can conduct an examination and prescribe medications and procedures. Some common treatments for heel pain are listed below:

Peace. Avoid jogging, prolonged standing and walking. Rest usually relieves the most severe pain and reduces inflammation.

If your heel hurts (it hurts to step on), then apply ice packs. Cooling can help minimize some symptoms and control pain. In addition, it has a particularly beneficial effect during an exacerbation.

Exercises and stretches are designed to relax the muscle tissue surrounding the heel bone. Sometimes a few simple exercises done in the evening or morning are enough to help patients feel much better.

- Anti-inflammatory medications help both with heel pain and reduce inflammation. Medicines are usually sold without a prescription.

Boot inserts are often the key to successfully treating heel pain. Orthotic shoe insoles sometimes allow a person to continue daily activities without heel pain.

The life of a modern woman, as a rule, passes on her feet. Therefore, leg pain, especially acute heel pain, becomes a serious problem for many women.

What causes heel pain?

Acute heel pain can be caused by a variety of factors. It is important to know that you should not endure heel pain for a long time, since the disease that caused it can progress and become more dangerous. In order to get rid of discomfort when walking and restore health to your feet, you need to find out what caused heel pain.

The causes of heel pain can be both external negative factors and a number of different diseases.

External causes of heel pain

Uncomfortable shoes - a sudden transition from high heels to a completely flat, non-cushioning sole will lead to acute pain in the foot and heel area.
Excessive sports activity – if pain appears after jogging, you should temporarily prefer another type of physical activity.
Bruises and injuries are also one of the causes of heel pain. If the onset of pain was preceded by an injury, you should try not to step on the injured leg and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Diseases that can cause heel pain

Cracked heels - those people who have not encountered such a phenomenon as cracked heels do not even realize how much discomfort they cause. Deep cracks that form in the thick layer of rough skin can cause severe pain when walking and even bleed.
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation that develops in a dense connective tissue formation, which is located in the form of a wide strip on the plantar surface of the foot. It's called the plantar fascia. The common symptom of heel pain is usually associated with stretching and subsequent inflammation of the fascia where it attaches to the heel tuberosity. If the fascist is not treated in a timely manner, calcium salts may be deposited at the site of chronic inflammation, which leads to the formation of a heel spur.
A heel spur is a bony growth on the plantar surface of the heel bone. The main symptom of heel spurs is pain, especially acute in the morning when a person has just gotten out of bed. You can determine if you have a heel spur by having an ultrasound or x-ray of your foot.

Chronic inflammatory diseases of the joints - rheumatoid, reactive, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis - diseases associated with metabolic disorders. The pain in this case is caused by acute inflammation of the heel tendons. You can determine if you have one of these diseases through a blood test and a doctor's examination.

How to treat heel pain?

Heels can hurt for many reasons.

Treatment for heel pain depends on the causes that caused it.

Uncomfortable shoes - if you have to walk in heels for a long time, try to choose a comfortable shoe, and sit with your shoes off as often as possible. To avoid a sudden transition from heels to flat soles, which greatly increases the load on the heel, you can purchase slippers with a small heel or platform.
Cracked heels - the first step is to consult a dermatologist in order to exclude the possibility of fungal infection of the feet. Another cause of cracked heels is dry skin. This is especially acute in the summer when we wear open shoes. To prevent the appearance of deep cracks, it is necessary to moisturize the soles of the feet with creams and remove dead skin using pedicure devices.

Plantar fasciitis – there is no universal treatment for this disease. But there are several ways to alleviate the condition and prevent further development of the disease:

first of all, you need to reduce the load on your legs, try to refrain from sports related to running or walking for a while;

To reduce swelling and pain in the legs, you should apply ice to the feet, you can also take over-the-counter painkillers based on ibuprofen;

Before getting out of bed, do a foot warm-up, including calf stretching exercises.

Heel spur – comprehensive treatment for heel spurs includes:

unloading the foot from excessive pressure;

getting rid of excess weight;

use of heel pads and orthopedic insoles;

physiotherapeutic treatment: mud applications, mineral baths, ultrasound therapy;

drug therapy - local administration of corticosteroid drugs;

in extreme cases, surgical intervention to remove the bone growth.

Reactive arthritis - if inflammation of the heel area is the result of diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections, they must be treated urgently. The distinctive symptoms of reactive arthritis, in addition to pain in the heels, which gets worse at night, are discomfort in the genital area, inflammation of the joints, and eyes.

Inflammatory processes in the heel area - the cause of inflammation can only be determined during a medical diagnostic examination. You should not delay going to the doctor, as the disease can progress and lead to serious complications.

First aid for heel pain

To quickly relieve heel pain:

Place an ice cube on the arch of your foot and move it along the arch of your foot from your toes to your heel.
Place your feet in a bowl of water at room temperature.
An ibuprofen-based painkiller tablet (Ibufen, Markofen, Nurafen, Solpaflex) will help relieve pain.
The heel and the area of the foot above it can be smeared with any ointment with an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect (indomethacin, shidrocartisone, butadiene, kartek, pelan, etc.).

Gymnastics to strengthen the arch of the foot and relieve heel pain

Stretch your feet and calves with light massage movements.
Lying on the bed with your legs straight, pull your foot towards you until slight pain appears, and then stretch your toe as far as possible. Do this exercise slowly 5-7 times.
Walk on your toes, then on your heels, stretching the arch of your foot as much as possible.
Using the outer arch of your foot, perform several calf raises.
Spread a towel on the floor, and then try to make folds in it with your toes and smooth them out, and then lift the towel.
Roll a small massage ball around the arches of your feet.