What is heel pain?
Heel pain is a general term used to describe pain under the heel bone. It is is extremely common with 1 in 10 people will suffering from heel pain. Thankfully there are many treatment options to manage heel pain. There are multiple conditions that can affect the heel, so understanding the specific diagnosis is important when establishing an appropriate treatment plan.
Causes?
The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue on the bottom of the foot and inserts into the heel. This tissue can be damaged, torn or overloaded with increased activity levels on the foot, or increased body weight. Microdamage and swelling occurs under the heel, leading to increased collagen turnover and scar tissue formation. This causes chronic thickening of the plantar fascia that can easily be identified by scanning the foot with the use of diagnostic ultrasound scan.
Symptoms
The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:
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Pain on the bottom of the heel.
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Pain in the arch of the foot.
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Pain is worse in the morning.
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Pain that increases over a period of time.