Heel Pain Treatments and Prevention

Feeling a throbbing or stabbing pain in your heel is a common injury. If you’re experiencing heel pain, consider visiting the doctor immediately for more assessment of your injury and then see our heel care guides for more information. However, if you have an injury where you feel like it hurts to move around, that won’t hurt as much as a cut.

Causes of heel pain

For most people, heel pain is caused by strains in the bones of your feet. But there are other causes, such as sprains or tendinitis, where you might experience bruising and swelling on your heels. Also, certain foods can cause inflammation, especially high-fat dairy products, which can make your feet ache. You should talk with your physician about a different approach to your injury.

Severe Achilles tendinitis/pain

If you have any kind of ankle or foot pain or swelling in your heel that doesn’t go away, seek extra attention. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends children receive extra knee protection to prevent severe hip injuries. This can be done at home or in the hospital. There are also many non-invasive treatment options available:

Fungal infections called fungal infections
Infection of bone or tendon tissues
Visible bruising

Chinitis

If you have had a minor trauma and swelling in your heels, you may have mild tenderness and itching. Other factors to watch out for include loose skin if your feet have been soaking wet on your bed, cold night sweats, nausea, fever, headache, fatigue and loss of appetite. These symptoms indicate you need quick medical attention.

Treatments of Heel Pain

Here are some of the things we recommend for treating heel pain:

Soothing massage (massage at points that are painful)
Heat: use heat to relieve tight muscles

Massaging can be particularly helpful for those who have arthritis: heat will release natural chemicals and relax your muscles. Massage is also often used as an alternative for people with mobility issues or those who don’t have pain relief medications.

Heat: use heat to relieve tight muscles. We suggest using heaters or heating pads. They can reduce swelling. Many people have reported benefit from giving their feet a “wet heat bath” before relaxing so they can be ready to get out.

Massage: try massaging. Try applying pressure to areas, especially if they seem tense. Or apply an ice pack or damp compress over that area. A gentle but effective remedy.

If heel pain isn’t relieved with physical therapy or a massage, then a specialist is needed. An endocrinologist or urologist can treat conditions such as osteoporosis or diabetes type II. A podiatrist can treat conditions such as hyperthyroidism and gout. Our team at Moxie Orthopaedic specialises in orthopaedic and sports medicine. In addition to treating those types of injuries, they can diagnose and treat foot, ankle, wrist and back pains.

You can always contact us for advice on treatment. When the pain persists and gets worse, you may need to visit a podiatrist. That’s why it’s so important to know what treatment may be right for you. Keep in mind:

Heel Pain Treatments and Prevention