Pain in your heel can be caused by many different things. We understand how heel pain can significantly affect your life and functioning, at its worst impairing your ability to walk. Here at the Foot & Ankle Group serving Bordentown, Columbus, and Mount Laurel, Philadelphia, PA, we treat heel pain frequently. Our skilled podiatrists will not stop investigating until they find the root cause of your heel pain and fix it. The key to successful treatment is understanding exactly what is causing your heel pain. Our team wants to return you to full functioning and no longer avoid the activities you love out of fear of exacerbating pain.
What can cause heel pain?
Some common conditions that lead to heel pain are:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bone spurs
- Trauma to the foot and/or ankle
- Achilles tendonitis
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
Some less common conditions that lead to heel pain are:
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome: Tarsals are the foot bones and carpals are the hand bones. Similar to the more well-known carpal tunnel syndrome of the hands, there is a 'tunnel' in your ankle that encases several nerves that lead to the foot. These nerves can become pinched, leading to heel pain.
- Stress fractures
- Heel pad bruising
- Sever's disease: This is a condition seen in children and teenagers. It results when the heel cone grows faster than the ligaments of the leg. This can lead to the ligaments becoming overstressed.
- Haglund's syndrome: Also known as 'pump bump,' this condition is the result of bony prominence developing on the back of the heel. The cause is generally a response to wearing ill-fitting shoes.
- Osteomyelitis: This is an infection or inflammation of the heel bone
Obtaining an accurate diagnosis is the critical first step in treating your heel pain in Bordentown, Columbus, and Mount Laurel, Philadelphia, PA. A treatment strategy will not be successful if an accurate diagnosis is not obtained.
What treatment options for my heel pain?
After obtaining an accurate diagnosis, our skilled podiatrists will recommend the best treatment strategy. The recommended treatment depends entirely on your diagnosis and is unique to you.
Treatment options that may be recommended are:
- Rest and avoidance of aggravating activities
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
- Cortisone injections
- Prescription pain killers
- Custom orthotics
- Changing to supportive shoes
- Physical therapy will strengthen and stretch specific muscles that support the heel. Pain relieving modalities may also be used in PT, such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation.
- Surgery
Barring a very severe injury, surgery is generally a last resort treatment option when other, more conservative measures have failed.
Contact us
Treat your heel pain in Bordentown, Columbus, and Mount Laurel, Philadelphia, PA. by scheduling a consultation with us. Contact the Foot & Ankle Group by calling one of our 4 locations.
- Bordentown - (609) 291-0960
- Columbus - (609) 298-7000
- Mt. Laurel - (856) 234-0195
- Philadelphia - (215) 332-5300
