Each foot absorbs roughly 60 tons of stress with every mile walked! It is not a surprise that many people struggle from heel pain. Heel pain can be a debilitating condition. The pain can affect your mobility and your quality of life. If you are struggling with pain in the heels, OrthoOIC offers urgent care for heel pain for a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment options. Whether it’s a stabbing feeling from plantar fasciitis, the discomfort of Achilles tendonitis, or the aggravation of bone spurs, OrthoOIC can help you help you get back on your feet.
Hell pain is a common sports injury from overuse from running, jumping, or dancing. A sudden increases in activity, tight calf muscles, or wearing improper footwear also cause conditions like Plantar Fasciitis or Achilles Tendonitis. Patients that struggle with being overweight are also more likely to experience heel pain due to the increased stress placed on the feet and ankles. The team at OrthoOIC in Arlington, VA, can provide urgent care for heel pain.
Plantar Fasciitis
One common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis feels like a stabbing pain on the bottom of the heel. The pain is often most noticeable in the morning or after periods of rest. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. When the area becomes inflamed, irritated, or tightened in a state of rest, it reduces the flexibility of those tissues, causing pain.
Achilles Tendonitis
Another culprit of heel pain is Achilles tendonitis. Achilles Tendonitis is a painful condition caused by inflammation or irritation. Pain on the back of the heel may lead to redness, swelling, and thickening of the skin. Symptoms typically include heel pain and stiffness, especially in the morning or after prolonged activity, and difficulty walking or running.
Bone Spurs
When heel conditions like plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis remain untreated, they can result in bone spurs. Bone spurs are calcium deposits on the heel bone visible on X-rays. They typically occur at the attachment point of the plantar fascia, so they are often associated with Plantar Fasciitis.
Haglund’s Deformity
A painful heel condition known as Haglund’s Deformity (or Haglund’s Syndrome or the pump bump) is a bony enlargement at the back of the heel. This enlargement can irritate the surrounding soft tissues, such as the Achilles tendon, leading to pain, swelling, and inflammation. Wearing tight-fitting shoes, especially high heels, or high impact activities put a lot of stress on the Achilles and cause Haglund’s Deformity. The primary cause of Haglund’s deformity is the enlargement or misshaping of the heel bone itself, but a bone spur, if present, is often a secondary development.
The calcaneus bone is what forms the heel, so heel bone fractures are know as calcaneus fractures. A heel bone fracture often results from high-impact trauma, such as falls or car accidents. Severe pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty walking are signs that you may have a heel bone fracture. At OrthoOIC urgent care care, we can use x-rays to locate the area of the fractured heel bone and stabilize the fracture with a splint or cast. In some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to realign the fractured bone fragments.
Self-care methods like rest, ice, and over-the-counter medications can sometimes alleviate heel pain. But persistent or severe heel pain warrants professional attention. If the pain lasts long, is accompanied by swelling, or follows an injury, you should seek orthopedic immediate care. Don’t let heel pain or heel bone fractures disrupt your life any longer. Contact OrthoOIC in Arlington, VA today to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards relief.