Of course, pain in the heel when stepping can arise from a blow, bruise, or from an unsuccessful turn of the foot (this is especially true for women wearing high-heeled shoes).
If there was no injury to the leg, heel pain can be caused by a number of different diseases, including those of a chronic nature.
There can be many causes of heel pain. One of the most common is heel spurs. A heel spur is a growth that forms directly on the heel bone due to chronic inflammation of the connective tissue of the sole (fascia).
The pain associated with a heel spur is very painful and severe, and by the morning, after waking up, it even increases. When walking, pain is also present, but not so severe.
The second common cause of heel pain when walking is bursitis. Bunion is a disease that causes inflammation of the tissue along the foot that connects the heel bone to the toes. The inflammatory process is characterized by increasingly increasing pain, especially severe in the morning. You can soothe the pain with massage, but if you step on your heel, the pain will inevitably return.
Rheumatoid arthritis may also be a cause of heel pain when stepping. The disease causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Heel pain with rheumatoid arthritis is especially severe and debilitating, disturbing a person day and night.
When the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed, the patient feels quite severe pain in the upper or lower part of the heel.
To find out the exact cause, a medical examination is necessary: ultrasound, x-ray of the affected area. So, if you experience heel pain, you should not delay contacting a traumatologist, surgeon or orthopedist.
To understand exactly why heel pain occurs when stepping, you should visit a medical facility and see doctors such as a rheumatologist, arthrologist or orthopedist. As we have already found out, the causes of pain can be very different, and the purpose of treatment procedures depends on their identification. The doctor will carefully diagnose the cause of the disease and select the optimal treatment method.
This article is about the causes of elbow bursitis.
With a heel spur caused by a tendon injury, the patient is prescribed bed rest for two to three weeks. To relieve pain, anti-inflammatory drugs are used - indomethacin, flexen, brufen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc. In addition, laser therapy, transverse massage with ointments, and shock wave therapy are actively used. If the pain syndrome is pronounced, it is possible to inject corticosteroids into the painful area - Kenalog, hydrocortisone. Sometimes this is quite enough to relieve acute pain. In especially severe cases, doctors use x-ray therapy.
Heel pain can occur due to a number of infectious diseases, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. In this case, the formation of so-called reactive inflammation of the heels is likely. In such cases, heel pain is present even in a calm state. The pain intensifies at night. This type of inflammation implies the presence of signs of damage to other organs and joints. In this case, the underlying infection that caused heel pain when stepping is treated. Antibiotics, compresses, ointments, and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
With gout, psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, inflammation of the heel area occurs. Sometimes this can be the first symptom of the above diseases.
If a person has arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, a blood test will certainly show the presence of markers of inflammation. With gout, uric acid is present in large quantities in the blood. In all these cases, relief from heel pain is possible by curing the underlying disease.
Shock wave therapy (SWT) is one of the new methods of treating heel spurs. A special device directs shock sound waves to the heel, promoting the restoration of musculoskeletal tissue. With the help of a sound wave, impulses from pain receptors are blocked: the sensitivity of the heel decreases and the pain syndrome recedes.
Such a misfortune as heel pain when walking haunts not only adults, but also children. In this case, the causes may be flat feet, excess weight, or an unhealthy lifestyle of the child, leading to serious problems with the connective tissues of the heel.
One of the main culprits of heel pain when walking that you should immediately pay close attention to is shoes. It is better to wear shoes with soft, smooth soles. When walking, you should slightly raise the back of the foot, transferring the main load to the front.
If your heels hurt while walking, it makes sense to think about bringing your body back to normal - for example, about getting rid of excess weight.
To prevent heel pain, you need to strengthen them with special gymnastics. The gymnastics is extremely simple - you just need to take a simple tennis ball and roll it along the floor with your feet. Perform the exercise for five to seven minutes for each leg. Heel massage, which you can do yourself, is very useful.
A symptom such as heel pain in the morning most often develops with plantar fasciitis - chronic inflammation of muscle tissue due to microtrauma. The pain is intense and covers the entire base of the foot. The first steps after a long period of rest are especially painful. The pain subsides during the day, but returns in the evening.
Plantar fascia is the connective tissue of the foot that attaches to the heel bone and to the phalanges of the toes. With plantar fasciitis, micro-tears occur at the sites of tissue attachment to the bone, the tissue becomes inflamed, and severe pain appears.
At night, when a person sleeps, microtears heal, but with shortening of the fascia. In the morning, with the first steps, the fascia is torn again and the pain intensifies. After the first steps tear the fascia and stretch the tissue, the pain subsides only to reappear.
Frequent fractures or dislocations? You should check your doctor's notes for symptoms of osteoporosis.
This article is about how to treat rheumatoid arthritis with folk remedies.
Taping for plantar fasciitis is gluing the foot with a special tape - tape. If there is no tape, you can use an adhesive plaster. When taping, the tape must be tensioned in such a way that it partially takes over the functions of the plantar fascia, reducing the load on the tissue.
Night braces are a very effective device for treating plantar fasciitis. Morning pain occurs due to the fact that at night micro-tears in the fascia have fused with shortening. Shortening occurs due to the fact that a person sleeps with his toes pulled out. The braces immobilize the fascia at a right angle - in a position where the tissue tension is maintained. In the morning the pain will either disappear or become much weaker.
Of course, the use of immobilizing devices is inconvenient, but the damaged fascia heals correctly and morning pain goes away.
Warm baths with baking soda and sea salt help greatly, improving blood circulation in the tissues of the foot. For the same purpose, lotions made from raw grated potatoes are used.
The lotion is applied to the entire surface of the heel, then a woolen sock is put on and the product is left for several hours. Potatoes can be replaced with black radish - after two weeks of procedures the pain will completely disappear.
If pain in the heel is constantly disturbing and does not disappear when using traditional methods, you need to consult a doctor who will take an x-ray of the foot and determine in which direction the treatment should develop.
Pain in the heels while walking, simply stepping on the foot, or even at rest can occur for a variety of reasons. The pathology does not have a specific age or gender characteristic, that is, it can affect both children and adults, both men and women. This fact completely depends on the source of the disease, such as trauma, chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, oncological malformations, pathologies of the central nervous system, allergic reactions.
Plus, this list of reasons includes metabolic disorders, changes in water-salt balance, infections, physiological abnormalities that are inherited, as well as increased physical activity. Timely familiarization with the following information will help prevent the occurrence of such a disease: pain in the heel when walking - causes, treatment, as well as prevention and correction of the nutritional diet.
All causes leading to pathology of the inflammatory or destructive nature of the heel can be divided into 3 groups: exogenous, endogenous, plus combined types. External factors include any injuries to the lower extremities (especially the joints of the foot). Violation of the integrity of the ligamentary system surrounding the cuboid bone of the foot, involving the skin, tissue and muscles, as well as some post-traumatic complications lead to constant pain in one or both heels.
Extreme physical activity, constant vertical pressure on the lower extremities, complex sports exercises during training, as well as work associated with a certain position of the heels with overstrain of the fascia are serious reasons for the development of foot pathologies, accompanied by pain both when walking and at rest. .
Important! Problematic shoes, that is, high-heeled shoes that are inappropriate in size, lead to the development of foot pathologies. If this oversight is not corrected, the process enters the chronic phase. The pain syndrome of which does not go away without the administration of analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and, in extreme cases, without surgical intervention.
Pain in the legs can be the result of inflammation, infections of systems and organs of the human body. Most often, pain is provoked by diseases of the musculoskeletal system, metabolic disorders, and endocrine pathologies. Malignant tumors with metastasis to the bones or ligaments of the foot are also causes of heel pain.
The endogenous type of causes is:
If in parallel the patient suffers from one of the above pathologies, and at the same time received a foot injury in the form of a bruise, crack, rupture or compression of the anatomical components of the foot, then these causes of heel pain are of the combined type.
Pain when stepping on the foot is the result of an inflammatory, destructive or abnormal phenomenon occurring in the structure of the anatomical elements of the lower segment of the musculoskeletal structure of the lower extremities (mainly the foot). There is a whole list of factors that cause pathology in which motor function is partially or completely limited.
Attention! Many causes, such as fasciitis, achilles, rheumatism, gout, lead to lifelong disability, so at the first symptoms you need to immediately be examined in specialized medical centers and begin treatment immediately!
Plantar fasciitis or heel spur is a pathological process of the connective tissue fascia (ligament) of an inflammatory and destructive nature. The plantar fibrous ligament binds and strengthens the constituent elements of the sole. This arch maintains the stability of the foot during any type of motor function; the main load falls on it when walking, running or in an upright position. After an injury, stretching of the plantar fascia, inflammation begins. This reaction generates acute pain when moving, which intensifies in the morning. The diagnosis is made on the basis of anamnesis and instrumental examination (radiography in three projections, ultrasound, MRI).
Long-term tension in the plantar fascia leads to inflammation. The cause of overexertion can be long walking, high jumping, or injury. The pathological process is bilateral. It manifests itself as swelling + pain when moving, limitation of motor functions, it is almost impossible to step on the feet.
It goes away after the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cessation of physical activity. Degenerative-inflammatory processes in the fascia of the sole of the foot develop only after strong impacts, untimely treatment, or cracks in the ligaments.
An inflammatory reaction in the synovial bursa of the foot joint involving the cuboid bone gives the clinical picture of bursitis. Clinically, bursitis is manifested by swelling, redness, and pain in the affected limb. Edema fluid seeps through the soft tissues, violating all the anatomical boundaries of the foot.
Movement is completely paralyzed; when trying to step on the foot, unbearable acute pain appears. When palpating the affected locomotor organ, pastiness + increased temperature is felt. Moving into the chronic stage, the swelling of the heel thickens. The pathology must be treated in a hospital setting; if the process is accompanied by microbial flora, an operation with sanitation of the lesion through arthroscopy is necessary, with the further use of antimicrobial therapy.
Inflammation in the Achilles ligament occurs after grueling physical activity of the calf muscle. This reaction occurs after running, long jumping, or wearing uncomfortable shoes with high heels or flat soles. The pain syndrome is localized throughout the calf muscle with irradiation to the heel area. The limb is swollen and erythematous, and hypersensitivity of the skin is noted throughout the affected area. The leg loses motor function.
Attention! If the Achilles ligament ruptures, a cracking sound is heard and the pain is unbearable and acute. Swelling with a bluish tint appears after a bruise. In this case, immediate medical attention is needed.
A destructive reaction of one’s own immunity to chondrocytes, collagen or connective tissue cells leads to ossification of the articular structures of the spinal column. This pathology is called ankylosing spondylitis or ankylosing spondylitis. Fusion of joints occurs not only in intervertebral discs, but also in other locomotor organs.
Losing your flexibility + mobility, a violation of posture occurs with pain reactions during any motor operations. Ankylosing spondylitis is characterized by pain in the heels of both feet. At the first signs of pathology, it is necessary to be examined by an arthrologist, allergist or rheumatologist. Treatment is carried out under the supervision of a doctor with regular laboratory tests.
For rheumatoid arthritis, heel pain is not the main symptom; this disease often affects the small joints of the hands. If the pathology affects the joints of the feet, then pain appears not only in the heels, but along the entire perimeter of the feet. The clinical picture of reactive arthritis is limited movement, constant pain in the heels, and swelling of the locomotor organs.
The disease is characterized by remissions and exacerbations. An exacerbation is manifested by general weakness, fatigue, and loss of body weight. The cause of reactive arthritis is an increased immune reactivity of the body to its own tissues. It is detected in the laboratory by a blood test for rheumatoid type immunoglobulins. Treatment is carried out in a hospital setting according to an individual scheme.
Infectious pathologies can be common causes of pain in the heel area. Toxins from microbes or viruses have a destructive effect on the connective tissue system. They settle in the cartilage tissue, corroding it. Muscle tissue, skin and fatty tissue are involved in the inflammation process. Joint swelling occurs in the chronic stage.
List of infectious pathologies by system:
All infections have individual symptoms, which are confirmed in the laboratory after examination of a general blood test and culture on agar-agar medium to detect the infectious agent. These diseases have a common symptom: bilateral heel pain. The exceptions are osteomyelitis and tuberculosis, a purulent process with destruction of bone tissue develops only on one side. Therapeutic tactics depend on the infectious agent, as well as on the depth of damage to the joint or plantar ligament.
Gout is a deposit of uric acid or urate salts in the joints and occurs due to impaired renal function. Often occurs as a result of inflammatory infections, injuries, concomitant diseases of organs and systems, after which the mechanism of formation of kidney stones begins. Urates destroy cartilage plates, affecting nearby tissues up to the ligamentary system.
Unbearable pain in the heels, swelling of the joints, erythematousness, fever, weakness are the main symptoms of the disease. Painful attacks worsen at night and subside in the morning. Patients complain of limited movement and skin hypersensitivity. At the same time, the ankle, knee and finger joints are affected.
Narrow shoes that squeeze the foot, high heels, flat shoes with flat feet are a source of pain in the heel area. Once these causes are eliminated, the pain disappears forever. If there is a history of flat feet, orthopedic insoles should be used.
A strong impact from a fall at height leads to a bruise of the heel bone. The lesion process can be unilateral or bilateral. As a result of landing on your heels, sharp burning pain appears under the heel or a feeling of a stuck nail. The motor function of the foot is paralyzed due to edema + hematoma. When you try to step on your heels, the pain intensifies. It is administered with analgesics. After the x-ray, the patient is prescribed appropriate treatment.
Heavy weight is directly related to pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, since the vertical load falls specifically on the lower limbs. Excess weight affects the joints of the legs, and more specifically the ankle joints and feet. Obese patients constantly experience heel pain with swelling of the feet. The cuboid bone is under constant pressure, the arched fascia becomes thinner, and the fat layer disappears. By losing weight, patients feel relief with the subsidence of heel pain. The function + fat layer of the joint gradually returns to normal.
The plantar fascia performs a supporting function, forming the arch of the foot. Its task is to provide shock absorption when running and walking.
Staying in an upright position for a long time while lifting weights gives rise to the inflammatory process of the ligamentous arch. Pain appears due to degenerative + inflammatory reactions in the ligaments of the sole after micro-tears or cracks.
Subcutaneous fatty tissue in the heel area acts as a protective cushion when walking. It protects the fascia from impact or abrasion. If the fatty tissue disappears due to injury, intoxication or cachexia, stepping on the heels will be very painful, the plantar fascia will become inflamed due to constant injury when walking. This pathology can only be treated surgically, in which the fat pad is replaced with a graft of artificial or human origin.
Osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma are malignant tumors of bone tissue. Statistically, they rarely affect the joints of the feet. They are characterized by swelling and pain when walking. Bone fractures due to tumor growth happen all the time, so patients with this diagnosis need to be extremely careful with any leg movements. A network of dilated blood vessels develops above the tumor, which often burst and cause bruising. The treatment strategy consists of chemotherapy + surgery with amputation of the diseased organ.
Heel pain does not only occur after infections, injuries, fractures or swelling. There are a number of situational factors that cause discomfort when walking or at rest. These factors include abnormal development of bones, ligaments and ligaments, as well as neuropathy.
List of situational reasons:
These pathologies can be prevented if preventive measures or timely treatment are carried out. X-rays of the feet detect these diseases in the early stages, so if pain in the heels appears, this study must be performed once every three months and treated.
If you experience minor heel pain, you do not need to self-medicate, but immediately contact your doctor at your place of residence. After carrying out diagnostic measures, the main cause of the pathology will be determined and the correct methodology of treatment therapy will be established: conservative or surgical, depending on the depth of the lesion + concomitant diseases.
The diagnostic examination consists of three points: visual examination, laboratory tests and instrumental studies using cutting-edge equipment. Visual inspection + palpation shows the degree of damage to the joint: swelling, redness of the feet, neuropathy, sensitivity, motor dysfunction of the feet, the presence of fistulas and purulent infection.
A blood test shows leukocytosis, anemia, ESR level, uric acid level, the presence of tumor markers and a rheumatoid agent.
Sowing a scraping of the urethra and oral mucosa makes it possible to identify chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and tuberculosis. Stool and urine tests are performed to identify intestinal pathogens. A puncture of the diseased joint is often done. X-ray examination of the diseased joint in three projections, MRI, ultrasound, computed tomography are instrumental studies. Arthroscopy is not only a research method, but also a treatment option. The exact examination plan depends on the patient’s age, concomitant diseases and the urgency of diagnosis.
Therapeutic treatment methods depend on the main cause causing the pathology. Diseases such as heel spurs, arthritis, arthritis-arthrosis, deforming arthritis-arthrosis, bursitis, achilles - have a general treatment regimen, namely:
Physiotherapy with shock wave + laser therapy, massage procedures, baths with saline solutions, and mud therapy are added to the list of treatments. If conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical intervention is resorted to. If pathologies of infectious etiology are added to the list of causes, then the treatment regimen is completely different. Each type of infection is treated with antibiotics; they are prescribed after blood cultures are tested for sensitivity to one of the drugs. Foot cancer can be eliminated surgically or with chemotherapy (Leukeran). For obesity, a special diet is needed to lose weight, and for gout, drugs that lower uric acid in the blood + NSAIDs are prescribed.
To quickly reduce severe pain in the heel, you can apply a piece of ice to the aching area and hold the cold for 20-30 minutes. The heel, soft tissues surrounding the foot and above it should be rubbed with anti-inflammatory gel (Fastum-gel, Feloran, Diclofenac). If heel pain persists for a long time, and it is impossible to eliminate it on your own, seek qualified help from an arthrologist or surgeon.
Heel pain, depending on the source of its origin, has a comforting prognosis, that is, if the underlying pathology is eliminated, the pain disappears forever. After conservative or surgical treatment, the locomotor organ acquires the previous motor function of movement. To exclude this pathology, it is necessary to take preventive measures, namely:
Preventive measures include timely examination by a doctor at the place of residence, and administration of prescribed medications. Sanatorium-resort treatment is one of the important points in the prevention of heel pain.
Disease of the lower extremities leads to disability. Pain in the heel area is an alarming sign; it can be the result of serious pathologies such as fascia, bursitis, tendinitis, destructive arthrosis, osteomyelitis, tuberculosis or cancer. Therefore, such pain should not be ignored, but examined in a timely manner. A quick response to this alarming symptom will eliminate complications and disability. To do this, you need to be aware and know everything about: heel pain when walking - causes, treatment.
Heaviness and pain in the legs when moving are present in the lives of most people. Some people have to endure such unpleasant sensations for a long period of time. In the meantime, there is an urgent need for diagnostics to identify the real cause of the uncomfortable condition. Getting rid of the disease is much easier and faster in the initial stages of leg pain.
Dr. Ignatiev’s clinic is ready to provide the best equipment and assistance from qualified specialists to cure spinal diseases.
There are several known reasons that provoke pain in the legs while walking. This includes ailments of the joints, spine, and blood vessels of the legs. However, most often doctors diagnose radiculitis with osteochondrosis.
Sciatica is an inflammatory process in the sciatic nerve. The largest nerve in the human body is the sciatic nerve. It begins at various five levels in the spinal cord, namely the lumbar vertebral region. The main burden falls on this department. Afterwards, the sciatic nerve descends lower down the leg and divides into several small nerves that distribute energy to the lower leg, thigh, ankle joint, fingers, and foot. There are cases when sciatica begins to develop as a result of injury, arthritis, diabetes, intervertebral disc degeneration, or severe stress on the spine.
Lumbago is a sharp, sudden, throbbing pain localized in the lower back, radiating to the right or left leg. The femoral nerve is affected. Pain sensations appear in the front surface of the thigh, radiate to the lower back, knee joint, and can sometimes be localized in the groin and lower leg. The thigh muscles weaken and the knee reflex disappears. When walking, the pain increases significantly. There are forced typical poses - in a lying position with legs pulled up, sitting, leaning with one hand on the seat behind. Due to pain, movement in the legs is significantly limited.
Neurogenic claudication is present. More often it appears in men 40-45 years old who are fond of heavy physical exercise. Pain sensations appear in both legs at once during movement, and can be localized below or above the level of the knee or spread throughout the entire limb. Sometimes severe heaviness and fatigue are noted. In a calm state, the pain is almost not expressed. History often indicates pain in the back itself.
Pinching true lameness is a consequence of ischemia of the muscle mass of the legs under heavy loads. The pain is caused by disturbances in the organic arterial circulation. The location of the occlusion will determine the development of pain symptoms. They can be localized in the lower leg area, in the pelvic girdle. Pain in the legs intensifies while walking, forcing frequent stops. A characteristic symptom is cold feet at any time of the year.
Intermittent venous claudication is caused by a violation of the outflow of venous blood from the lower extremities due to occlusion of the pelvic veins, stenosis. While walking, diffuse pain appears, there is bloating, muscle
convulsions. Elevation of the legs brings relief. The pain subsides gradually when you stop.
Intermittent claudication with ischemia in the lumbosacral plexus is manifested by pain during movement. They are first localized in the pelvic girdle with further irradiation to the legs. Afterwards, paresthesia and weakness of tendon reflexes begin to develop, and muscle weakness appears somewhat less frequently. Symptoms may be bilateral or unilateral.
Osteoarthritis of the knee joints will be a secondary manifestation in most cases. Most often it is caused by impaired anatomy of the axis of the legs - valgus or varus deformity. With osteoarthritis of the femuropatellar joint, pain will be characteristic when walking up stairs or any other load on this joint, such as squatting or kneeling. With femurotibial osteoarthritis, pain during walking will be typical, subsiding at rest.
Osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joint on the first toe most often develops as a consequence of various anomalies in the forefoot. Painful sensations will become characteristic during long walking, subsiding at rest. Over time, limited movement of the joint, deformation, thickening, and gradual development of bursitis on the outer side appear, which will create the preconditions for the appearance of constant and severe pain symptoms.
Flat feet (longitudinal, transverse) is also the cause of the development of constant painful sensations in the legs. It manifests itself as rapid fatigue, a feeling of “lead heaviness”. Flat feet should be treated with daily exercise routines developed by your doctor. The condition can be significantly alleviated by wearing orthopedic insoles.
The least common reasons that can cause pain in the legs when walking are:
• radicular pain as a consequence of segmental instability;
• rapid muscle fatigue as a consequence of limited increased metabolism during physical work;
• damage to the degenerative nature of the joints of the legs.
A heel spur is a permanent inflammation of the plantar fascia. Salts accumulate in this area. As a result, a growth appears on the heel bone. This is a heel spur.
Fasciitis of the soles. Painful symptoms develop due to constant overload of the foot. Another reason is a sharp change in lifestyle from passive to active. As a result, you have to spend a longer period of time on your feet, so the load on the foot increases.
Tendon injury. It can easily get injured under increased loads while wearing the wrong shoes. Symptoms: sharp, burning pain under the heel.
Disorder, inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Symptoms: pain is often localized on the back of the leg, under or above the heel.
Bruise on the heel bone . As a result of the injury, neighboring tissues may become inflamed, which is accompanied by severe pain while walking. Symptoms increase gradually. Within a week, the injury site turns red, blue, and then turns yellow.
Any infection. Pain appears even in a calm state. People with reactive arthritis may experience heel pain at night.
Inflammation in the heel area. Appears as a result of chronic inflammatory reactions of the joints. These include gout, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Erythromelalgia. Symptoms of this disease may include a burning sensation in the heel while walking. Areas of skin in this area become red or take on a bluish tint. The problem can affect women and men. Heat can only make the problem worse. Therefore, you should not be under the blanket.
Polyneuropathy. Symptoms: severe burning pain, unbearable when walking, paresthesia and leg cramps.
You should definitely contact a specialist if the pain in your legs when walking does not subside within a few days. It will be important to perform high-quality diagnostics , which includes x-rays of joints, blood tests, ultrasound, MRI, angioscanning, and arthroscopy. Based on the results of the tests, a diagnosis will be made and an individual course of treatment will be prescribed.
If you have problems with the joints or spine, you should carry out timely treatment of these diseases and strictly follow the instructions of a specialist. It is useful to perform regular courses of manual therapy. Dr. Ignatiev’s clinic will be able to provide an individual approach and proprietary methods of treating spinal diseases.
A condition in which heels hurt can occur due to many reasons, which requires detailed examination and treatment from various specialists (traumatologist, surgeon, rheumatologist, oncologist, infectious disease specialist and even phthisiatrician). Below are the main diseases that may cause pain in this anatomical area.
Such a common disease as dry calluses should also be placed in a separate group (see how to get rid of dry calluses). It not only causes a lot of inconvenience, but also causes severe pain when walking over time.
It is characterized by pain of inflammatory origin, in the projection of the heels, due to stretching or prolonged damage by a growth of the plantar fascia of the heel bone. This pathology occurs due to prolonged standing, injury to the bones of the foot or flat feet. The course of this disease forms a pathological circle, that is, the inflamed fascia participates in the formation of a bone growth (osteophyte) on the heel, and the latter, constantly injuring it, does not allow this process to subside. Due to this, the heels of such patients hurt constantly and without phases of remission. The pain syndrome subsides only after treatment of the heel spur is undertaken, and then not for long. Heel pain is especially pronounced immediately after sleep, as well as after walking or running.
The inflammatory process in this anatomical formation occurs as a result of constant stress on the calf muscles (climbing mountains, jumping), wearing uncomfortable, compressive shoes and walking in high heels. The disease is characterized by pain in the projection of the tendon, and along its entire length. In addition, pain above the heels of moderate intensity and swelling of the tendon itself inevitably occur. In the absence of treatment and reduced immunity, purulent inflammation of the Achilles tendon can occur, then the pain above the heel becomes more intense, to the point that the person cannot take a step. In addition to this, inflammation can reach such a level that tendon rupture may occur. This condition requires emergency medical attention.
The essence of this pathology is that, for unknown reasons, sterile necrosis begins to develop in those areas of the spongy substance of the heel bone that bear the greatest load. A characteristic symptom is pain that occurs in the heel with the slightest load. Walking with such an illness brings the patient severe pain, which is almost not relieved by anything. Patients move only with the help of crutches or a cane, stepping only on the forefoot. The skin over the heel is swollen almost all the time and shows signs of malnutrition (atrophy). Over time, atrophy of the lower leg muscles occurs.
This pathological condition is manifested by classic symptoms of inflammation, namely: swelling, pain, dysfunction, increased local temperature, redness.
This disease is characterized by inflammation of the periosteum due to excessive stress. Often this pathology occurs in track and field athletes and weightlifters. Pain in the heel and inflammation of the periosteal substance stops a few weeks after stopping the load.
It is characterized by the fact that the pain syndrome is initially less pronounced and can be easily relieved with the help of analgesics, but after some time it becomes more intense. Along the way, symptoms of cancer intoxication appear (weight loss, exhaustion, anemia). As tumor growth progresses, pathological fractures of the calcaneus may occur.
It manifests itself as a violation of the flexion function of the foot and trophic disorders in the skin above the heel. The peculiarity of this pathology is that pain in the heel area is replaced by complete numbness. Long-term neuropathy leads to the appearance of trophic ulcers in the heel area.
Occurs when there is a strong impact in the heel projection. It is characterized by the fact that the victim cannot place emphasis on the heel, much less take steps. Movement in the ankle is sharply limited due to the resulting hematoma and severe pain.
Depending on the degree of bruise, the clinical picture is similar to a fracture of the calcaneus and the integrity of the heel can only be diagnosed using radiography. Even after several weeks, heel pain occurs when walking.
It is a separation of cartilage tissue between two points of ossification. This condition occurs only in children between 7 and 16 years of age with a heel injury or increased physical activity. It should be noted that heel pain often appears after sleep, that is, without any physical activity.
This infectious disease also affects the heel bone, which leads not only to severe pain, but also caseous necrosis of the bone tissue inside the heel. In the absence of adequate treatment, a fistula is formed, which tends to periodic remission and re-inflammation with the release of purulent contents from the bone (see how tuberculosis is transmitted).
This pathological condition is characterized by the fact that necrosis occurs inside the bone, caused by purulent melting of tissues due to the proliferation of microorganisms. The disease is characterized by both general (body temperature up to 39 degrees, general weakness, loss of body weight) and local symptoms (fistula in the heel bone, releasing a significant amount of pus to the outside). The heel is swollen, and the venous vessels above it are sharply dilated due to compression by pasty tissues. Read more about the symptoms and treatment of osteomyelitis.
The clinical manifestations are very similar to rheumatoid arthritis, but external manifestations on the skin make it possible to distinguish them. One of the first symptoms will be the sudden appearance of pain in the heels at rest; sometimes there is an enlargement of the joint due to the accumulation of pathological fluid in it. Patients, as a rule, do not associate pain with the underlying disease, as a result of which the wrong treatment tactics are chosen.
Gout is a pathological condition characterized by the deposition of urates, that is, uric acid salts. Already at the beginning of the disease, acute pain occurs in the joint area, in this case in the heels, big toes, redness and swelling of the skin above them. Often these symptoms occur at night. During palpation, an increase in the temperature of local tissues and their soreness are observed. Without treatment for gout (including traditional methods), such symptoms last for several days or weeks, depending on the stage of the disease. More often, in addition to pain in the heel area, there is also pain in the big toe joint, as well as ankle, knee and hip pain. The inflammatory process may involve the fingers and Achilles tendon.
Refers to inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the spine and joints. The essence of ankylosing spondylitis is that the body produces antibodies to its own ligaments and joints. As a result of such processes, ossification of the ligamentous-articular apparatus of the spine begins, the vertebrae grow together, and the flexibility and mobility of the spinal column completely disappears. One of the first manifestations of this disease is severe pain in the heels, as a result of which the patient cannot stand on the floor.
This disease is rightfully considered one of the most severe of its kind, which is confirmed by the rapid onset and the presence of persistent complications in almost all joints of the human skeleton. At the beginning, pain of moderate intensity, swelling and decreased mobility in the joints appear. It should be noted that heel pain is a rare symptom of this disease, but if it begins, this indicates that all joints of the foot are involved in the process. Pain syndrome occurs both at rest and with the slightest load on the leg.
It is important to understand that heel pain must be treated immediately after a preliminary diagnosis is made. Until this time, all measures should be aimed only at relieving pain, since the latter significantly worsens the quality of life.
In order to reduce pain, the following measures must be used:
Pain in the heels when walking can be a symptom of various diseases, but very often it is the cause of wearing uncomfortable or tight shoes, as well as high-heeled shoes, beloved by all women.
In order to prevent heel pain when walking, you need to follow simple recommendations.:
However, sometimes following the recommendations is not enough. Let's first look at the most common causes of heel pain so that we know how to treat it correctly.
As mentioned earlier, there are a wide variety of causes for heel pain when walking. In order for your treatment to be as effective as possible, you need to know the cause of the pain. Let's look at the most common reasons why this happens.
First of all, pain in the right or left heel when walking may appear due to the occurrence of one or another disease. Most often, its appearance is accompanied by diseases such as arthritis, the accumulation of salts in the heel bone, called a spur, as well as improper load distribution, which causes fasciitis of the foot. Such diseases must be treated with the help of a doctor.
Here are some more common causes of severe heel pain:
If you feel severe pain, you should immediately consult a doctor who will help you diagnose the disease and prescribe treatment.
Treatment for severe heel pain when walking can be with medication or folk remedies. Folk remedies in the treatment of various diseases have repeatedly proven their effectiveness, so it would be unwise not to use them to treat painful sensations. However, you should still follow the doctor’s recommendations, because pain treatment with folk remedies is used as an additional measure that complements the main treatment.
Most often, the doctor prescribes the wearing of special insoles, which significantly reduce the load on the sore spot. It is also necessary to arm yourself with all kinds of ointments and creams, with which you should rub and massage your feet.
As for traditional methods of treating heel pain when walking, we suggest that you adopt several useful recommendations.
Among other things, the doctor will most likely prescribe medical procedures that can only be performed in a hospital. Such procedures are suitable for adults and children with severe heel pain. Also, do not forget that before following our recommendations, you must make sure that you are not allergic to certain ingredients.
With regular treatment, you can get rid of heel pain when walking forever. Detailed information about the causes of heel pain in the presented video.