Heel pain, often caused by plantar fasciitis, has been referred to as heel spur syndrome in the past. There are a number of potential causes of heel pain, and it is important to have any heel pain properly diagnosed. Plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of heel pain, results from inflammation of a band of tissue that runs from the toes to the heel. Inflammation within this fascia, commonly the result of faulty foot structure, such as severely flat or high arches, ultimately causes the pain. Most patients describe a pain in the bottom of the heel that is worse immediately after standing up from a sitting position, and many claim the highest level of pain is encountered when they first get out of bed in the morning.

Plantar fasciitis related heel pain is often significantly worse in those that have jobs that require long hours of standing. Obesity is also often related to plantar fasciitis. Heel pain is usually treated conservatively, with a relatively small number of patients needing eventual surgery. At home stretching, medications, and medical grade orthotics are tried first, while more invasive procedures are reserved for later. Steroid injections are often sometimes prescribed if the presentation is severe enough.

Though plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, other causes, such as tendonitis, nerve irritation, arthritis, or the occasional cyst may lead to heel pain. As such, an accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone to getting someone suffering from heel pain back to normal as quickly as possible. We invite you to schedule an appointment with one of our friendly foot and ankle physicians sometime soon. You’ll find a tab to request an appointment and the phone number for our clinic conveniently located at the top of this page to get you started. We have convenient hours and always have same-day appointments available for those with immediate care needs.