Pain in the heel is a common foot problem here in the UK. The pain can start off fairly mild but get worse gradually. When the pain gets very severe, it can even be too much for you to put any weight on your heel at all. In most cases, only one heel is responsible for the pain, however, some people develop pain in both of their heels. Heel pain is typically worse in the mornings or when you take your first few steps after a long rest. Walking typically improves the symptoms, but they will get worse again after standing or walking for awhile. Some people begin to limp or develop an abnormal walking style to try and counteract the pain that they are in, this can lead to further complications with your back, hips and knees.
So, it is important that you sort out the underlying issue that is causing you this pain and that is exactly what we are going to try and help you sort out this week. We are going to begin this week with a look at the most common cause of heel pain in the UK, and then on Friday, we are going to take a look at some of the treatment options that you can use to help with the pain. Unless you are absolutely sure that you have the condition below, do not attempt the treatment options that we are going to discuss this week. You can make a condition and the symptoms of it worse by doing exercises that aren’t right for the condition that you have.
The possible causes for heel pain
Most cases of heel pain in the UK are due to the underlying condition of plantar fasciitis. This condition affects the band of rubbery tissue that runs the length of your foot. It is underneath your foot and runs from the heel to the toes. When this tissue becomes damaged, it thickens and becomes tighter. This is why you may notice pain in the mornings or when you haven’t walked for a while, as this is when the tissue is at its tightest.
You might begin to have heel pain after sudden damage has occurred to the plantar fascia. However, the damage is typically done over months and months of repeat injury. Tiny tears begin to form in the plantar fascia; these will cause the tissue to thicken to try to heal itself and this will cause you the pain that you are in. You might also have some swelling in the surrounding tissue and the heel bone.
The other symptoms of heel conditions
As we mentioned above, the other symptoms of this condition are the tightening and swelling of the tissue and perhaps the surrounding area. Each of these symptoms can make the pain worse and also make your life a little more difficult. Along with the pain of the condition itself, the other symptoms may affect your ability to play sports or even stop you completing daily tasks.
We are going to leave this article here for today. Please come back on Friday to find out when you should see your doctor about plantar fasciitis and the treatments and prevention methods that you can use to stop the pain from returning.