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A common cause of heel pain is the heel spur, a bony growth on the underside of the heel bone. Heel spur syndrome is the best known heel problem, but plantar fasciitis is the most frequently encountered cause of heel pain.

Plantar fasciitis causes pain in the heel and bottom of the foot, especially noted upon first arising in the morning. If the pain persists, we recommend soft-soled shoes or heel pads or prescribe foot orthotics. There are many other causes of heel pain, which has become one of the most common foot problems reported by patients of podiatric physicians. If symptoms of heel pain develop, icing the foot should begin immediately.

Do not delay in seeking health professional advice for heel pain or any other foot problem because of something seen on ePodiatry. The heel bone is designed to be the first contact the foot has with the ground. Their pain referral is to the bottom of the foot, particularly to the heel. Therefore it is advisable for you to get a soft gel pad for your heels!

Usually, heel spur pain can be diagnosed during a physical examination. The pain from plantar fasciitis is not usually from the heel spur. The presence of a heel spur is no indication of the amount of pain that exists. The heel spur is caused by the same process as the heel pain, but the spur is not itself the cause of the pain. Indisputable evidence of the harmlessness of a heel spur is when trigger point therapy stops the pain.

Pressing on the bottom of the heel where the arch begins usually causes pain. That, in turn, can cause heel or arch pain as tissues in your feet are unduly stretched to make up for tight calves. A rupture can sometimes occur at the origin of the arch ligament and result in inflammation and heel pain. The pain is usually centered at a location just in front of the heel toward the arch.

Check the shoes that you most often wear, if a shoe can be bent in the middle (arch area) when flexed, it won't help your heel pain because it gives too little support. Ask yourself if the pain around your heel is centered in front of the heel, towards the arch. Therefore, it is very important to invest in good quality shoes.