Heel pain in walking

Mechanical damage, uncomfortable shoes on the stiletto, some diseases of the body, biomechanical factors - all this causes pain in the heel when walking. At the appearance of the first uncomfortable sensations, be attentive to an alarming signal and do not let the situation drift.

The heel is a soft, spongy bone, provided with blood vessels and nerve endings that go through it to other parts of the foot. This fact determines its maximum sensitivity to a different kind of damage. The heel together with the entire sole serves as a shock absorber. The largest bone of the foot undergoes various, sometimes significant, loads during physical activity.

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Causes of pain in the heel when walking

Unpleasant feelings in movement arise suddenly or increase gradually, acquiring a character of acute and constant soreness in the zone of the heel. Anyway, the pain syndrome from the sole of the sole brings a feeling of complete helplessness, defectiveness and for a long time knocks out from the habitual life rhythm. Of course, it is difficult to remain an optimist when every step is given in the whole body by a burning, piercing, throbbing pain.

The causes of heel pain in walking may be as follows: 

• processes of inflammatory character or disruption of the integrity of the fibrous connective layer located on the sole from the heel to the finger arch; 
• heel spur - inflammatory-degenerative changes in the plantar fascia of the chronic type; 
• plantar fasciitis - consolidation of connective tissue more often as a result of stretching, the condition precedes the spur on the heel; 
• erythromelalgia - a vascular disease that disrupts peripheral vasomotor reflexes, characterized by the expansion of veins and arteries; 
• hereditary sensory neuropathy - a kind of polyneuropathy (a disease of the peripheral nervous system in the diffuse lesion of nerve fibers); 
• heel pain syndrome - prolonged stress of the foot, causing pain in the heel while walking; 
• tendinitis - damage / inflammation in the Achilles tendon; 
• overstrain / tendon tear; 
• Some infections of the body, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc. The development of reactive arthritis is a complication after infection of the urogenital system, intestine or nasopharynx; 
• arthritis of the rheumatoid type - chronic inflammation of the joints.

Pain in the heel is the reason for going to a rheumatologist or traumatologist.

Symptoms of pain in the heel when walking

The consequence of the heel spur will be local pain, which intensifies in the morning. Throughout the day, the intensity of soreness is reduced, reminding yourself of a new attack while resting on the foot after a fixed period.

Painful sensations behind the foot and above the heel indicate a violation in the Achilles tendon. The defeat of the muscle tendon of the sole is expressed by pain in the area of the heel from below the foot.

A burning sensation, similar to the feeling of a nail - the symptoms of pain in the heel when walking, associated with trauma to the tendon. The cause of stretching / tearing can be both shoes on the hairpin with pronounced flat feet, and a strong blow.

Pain syndrome in the calcaneus zone (often in the hands) of a burning nature, as well as in the resting position in the morning, intensified by heating, is characterized by erythromelalgia. The process proceeds with reddening (sometimes there is cyanosis) of the painful areas and an increase in their temperature.

Burning and pain in the heel during walking determines different types of polyneuropathy. Hereditary sensory neuropathy proceeds with pain in muscular structures of a pulling nature, accompanied by convulsions. Such sensations are captured by the shoulders, pelvis and hands. Unpleasant feelings weaken in a relaxed state.

Particularly severe pains predominantly at night are inherent in an infectious disease.

Heel pain after walking

Infectious-reactive inflammation of the calcaneal tendon is characterized by pain during movement, as well as pain in the heel after walking in the rest period. Patients report a painful manifestation of reactive arthritis especially at night. The disease is characterized by inflammation of the eyes, joints and unpleasant sensations in the genital area.

The syndrome of morning pain is caused by plantar fasciitis. The desire to rely on the sole in the first moments after sleep brings a special soreness.

Nerve compression (tarsal tunnel syndrome) occurs in every patient with his symptoms. Some patients note acute pain in the heel when walking with a complete loss of mobility of the foot, others - a violation of sensitivity. The disease, belonging to the group of neuropathies, can also be characterized by pain with a pricking after walking.

Diagnosis of pain in the heel when walking

During the admission the doctor checks the muscle reflexes, the state of the nerve endings. When evaluating their strength, they are interested in the power of your sensations. Based on the initial examination and palpation, the specialist will prescribe an additional examination - X-rays, tests.

For each case of the disease, their instrumental and laboratory techniques are applicable.

Diagnosis of pain in the heel when walking when suspected of plantar fasciitis and heel spur is carried out through an x-ray.

Ultrasound and MRI help to identify the problem in the Achilles tendon.

In inflammatory processes in the bag of the Achilles tendon (achillobursitis), in addition to x-ray diagnostics, a laboratory test is used. X-ray picture indicates the source of inflammation as a result of fracture, degenerative changes. The following tests are performed: 

• blood (general); 
• blood for uric acid (to exclude / confirm gout); 
• The liquid medium of the Achilles bag is checked by bacteriological and bacterioscopic methods in case of infectious bursitis.

Pain in the heel when walking from the compression of the nerve is determined instrumentally and laboratory. In the first case do: 

• X-ray image showing changes in bone tissue (its thinning / dilating), and also with the purpose of revealing outgrowths of bones that can squeeze the nerve; 
• by electromyography, electric impulses are recorded in the interaction of nerves and muscle structures; 
• detection of the conductive ability of nerves; 
• Ultrasound / MRI for the diagnosis of tumors.

Laboratory diagnosis consists in the analysis of blood for sugar, with the purpose of excluding the diabetic nature of neuropathy.

Treatment of pain in the heel when walking

If you feel pain in the heel when walking, first aid - ice for two days. For a day, you need to massage the heel to numb the ice cube at least four times. Two days later, you can alternate between cold and heat. At 15 min. Ice, 15 min. Rest, then a hot water bottle for the same time. It is recommended that such a manipulation once a day.

Sometimes it is required to take an anesthetic, as an option - ibuprofen. It is better to take medication with the doctor on an individual basis.

Often overcome the pain syndrome helps the use of orthopedic insoles (picks her orthopedist) and warm-up. For example, such an exercise: 

• stand in front of the wall so that when you stretch out your hands, you touch it; 
• place your hands on the wall; 
• take a step back from the right foot, and the knee of the left foot - bend; 
• bend to the wall, and lower the heel of the right foot to the floor (feel the tension of the calf); 
• fix the position on 15 accounts; 
• do with your left foot (in total: ten movements for both legs); 
• IMPORTANT! Avoid sudden dislocations, do not push all the weight on the foot, beware of injuries.

Treatment of pain in the heel when walking is a long process, entrusted to the medical worker. The doctor can recommend to refrain from physical exertion, to impose a tire or fix a foot with a hard bandage during sleep, to enhance the therapeutic effect.

To improve blood circulation salt, soda, and soap baths are used. To cope with the pain from the heel spur will help tincture of the saber, bought in a pharmacy or cooked independently (1 tablespoon of a plant for a third of a glass of water). Admission continues at least 20 days (before meals, three times a day).

Maintenance of rest, physiotherapy procedures, massage is prescribed by a doctor. Some diseases require antibiotic treatment, surgical intervention (adhesions, scar tissue) or the use of shock wave method.

In addition to a traumatologist and rheumatologist, patients with pain in the heel when squeezing the nerve may need consultation phlebologist / vascular surgeon, if the cause of the pain is varicose veins. At the pressure on the nerves due to scar tissue, with mechanical damage should consult a surgeon. With the problem of tunnel syndrome will help to understand the neurologist.

How to prevent heel pain when walking?

To prevent diseases of the heels is much easier than cure. When choosing a sport, one should prefer cycling, swimming, walking and running better to forget. An important factor affecting the development of pain in the heel is also excessive weight.

Always choose only comfortable shoes. Do not be superfluous and orthopedic inserts that support the ligamentous and muscular structure of the feet.

Prevention of pain in the heel when walking consists of the following activities: 

• checking blood sugar, warning of corns / calluses; 
• during pregnancy, it is extremely important for women to wear comfortable shoes at low speed, to use orthopedic inserts to maintain the muscles of the foot, and to reduce the shock load; 
• the intensity of physical exercises to increase evenly, it is necessary to warm up the muscles before active training to prevent stretching, dislocation; 
• timely diagnosis and treatment of flat feet; 
• checking the body for hidden infections; 
• protect the sole from overloads (for example, from jumping); 
• use of therapeutic gymnastics; 
• control of the state of veins; 
• balanced diet.

Pain in the heel when walking should in no case be ignored. Such a symptom often becomes stronger and develops into a severe form for treatment.