Thursday, October 27, 2011

Why do my heels hurt? Answers from the Heel Pain Center of Central Texas


One of the most common foot issues to afflict individuals is heel pain.  As highlighted in the most recent Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists Newsletter, Dr. Thomajan has devoted a part of his practice to it.  There are many different causes for heel pain.  Last month in this blog we discussed one of the causes seen often in children.  In adults, the reasons are often have multiple causes which we will discuss further.

For adults, the problem is often a product of foot mechanics.  A movement of the foot, known as pronation, is critical to normal walking.  It allows stresses to be distributed through the foot until the toes leave the ground for the next step.  When this motion becomes exaggerated or moves past the point that is necessary, it can lead to problems.  The bottom of the foot becomes spread out during over-pronation and causes the arch of your foot to drop down.  This stresses the muscles and ligament beneath your foot often leading to plantar fasciitis.  More information on this can be found in the free book ‘Heel Pain’. Early treatment of this problem involves stretching, icing, and anti-inflammatory medication to provide relief.  This may help your heels feel better but does not correct the mechanical problem that caused it in the first place.  Without proper treatment, it can come back or worsen to the point of a tear in the tissues.

The Heel Pain Center of Central Texas was created to properly treat the causes of heel pain.  A division of Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists there are a variety of treatments available.  X-rays may be used to verify that the problem is in the tendons and muscles and not the heel bone itself.  Specialized shoe inserts, or custom orthotics, can often a good solution if your foot mechanics are the source of the problem.  There are also other non-invasive treatments that can be implemented to help heal damage caused to the fascia.  In severe cases where other treatment modalities fail, surgical intervention may be an option you discuss with your Austin podiatrist.  If you find yourself with heel pain, be sure to make a call to the Heel Pain Center of Central Texas.