Heel Pain Specialist

What is heel pain?

Heel pain refers to any discomfort that affects the padding on the sole or back of your heel. The pain may be mild or severe and occasionally occur or be present with every step you take.

The Brandywine Foot and Ankle Associates team can find the underlying issue and provide the correct treatment no matter the severity or frequency of your heel pain.

What causes heel pain?

Heel pain may develop for many reasons. For many of the patients that visit Brandywine Foot and Ankle Associates, heel spurs are the most common cause of heel pain. 

Heel spurs develop from a buildup of calcium deposits under the heel bone. This extra bone irritates the band of tissue that connects your plantar fascia to your heel bone, resulting in pain.

Other causes of heel pain include:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendonitis
• Achilles tendon tear
• Arthritis
• Nerve irritation
• Fractures
• Cyst
• Bursitis

No matter the cause, if you have heel pain, it’s important to stop the activities that aggravate your symptoms. Continuing to walk or work out with heel pain may worsen the underlying condition and prolong your recovery. 

How is heel pain diagnosed?

Your podiatrist at Brandywine Foot and Ankle Associates conducts a comprehensive exam to diagnose the cause of your heel pain. They ask detailed questions about your pain, including the type of discomfort you feel and the activities that worsen or lessen your pain.

Your podiatrist reviews your medical history and examines your feet. They touch your heel to find areas of tenderness that might explain the cause of your discomfort.

They may also perform X-rays to confirm or rule out a suspected cause. 

How is heel pain treated?

The Brandywine Foot and Ankle Associates team creates individualized treatment plans for heel pain depending on the cause and severity of symptoms. Most causes of heel pain improve with nonsurgical care, such as:

• Activity modification
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Physical therapy
• Home stretching and foot exercises
• Custom-made orthotics
• Night splints

In some cases, the podiatrists may recommend surgery to treat the underlying cause of your heel pain. However, they only consider surgery when nonsurgical interventions fail to improve your pain or you have a condition requiring surgery, such as an Achilles tendon rupture.

Find out what’s causing your heel pain by calling Brandywine Foot and Ankle Associates or scheduling an appointment online today.