Heel pain causes

Heel pain

Any pain that a person experiences in the extremities is quite normal, since we are using our arms and legs almost all the time. However, when a pain appears in the back side of the foot, it can cause a lot of trouble disabling the person to walk, stand, or do any daily activity. This pain is typically accompanied by swelling and a tingling sensation in the affected region.

Causes of heel pain

The pain in the feet is a quite a common problem that people frequently experience due to wearing unsuitable shoes or due to, for example, standing for a long period of time. Furthermore, overweight people are also prone to develop the heel pain due to excessive pressure that their body weight makes on the heels. Heel pain may also be a consequence of a direct injury to the heel. However, there are also several medical conditions that are usually responsible for the incidence of pain in this area.

It is observed that in the majority of cases, the main cause for heel pain is a condition called plantar fasciitis, named after the inflammation of the plantar fascia, or the ligament placed at the foot bottom, which stretches from the heel to the toes. Plantar fasciitis is usually induced by the overuse of the foot, as well as by the plantar fascia overstretching.

Another condition also regarded to be a potential cause for the incidence of the pain in the heel is called Achilles tendonitis, which refers to the inflammation of the tendon that stretches from the calf muscle to the heel. This tendon is the biggest one in our body and is called Achilles tendon. When the Achilles tendon gets inflamed, the pain in the heel is inevitable. Furthermore, when the Achilles tendon becomes torn or ruptured due to some strenuous activity or overstretching, the heel may become swollen and painful.

Another cause of heel pain is a condition called tarsal tunnel syndrome, which refers to the posterior tibial nerve compression. Tibial nerve is a sciatica nerve branch and it stretches down the leg to the ankle and the part of this nerve in the ankle is called posterior tibial nerve. When this nerve is strained because of prolong standing or exercising, the sharp and almost unbearable pain appears in the heel.