Heel Pain: Causes, Symptoms and Cure
Hell pain has become a very common ailment affecting millions across the country. There are many who have a strong pain in their heels when they get up in the morning and cannot even put their feet on the floor and stand up. A vast majority of cases have plantar fasciitis as the root cause of this problem. This is a condition where connective tissues that run from heel bone to the front of the foot get inflamed. This tissue is called plantar fascia. It does not have muscles attached to it and is easily injured or begins to tear when subjected to excessive pressure causing acute heel pain.
Factors that help in aggravating the problem of heel pain are aging, poor shoe gear, sports, poor bio mechanics, overweight, occupational hazards etc. There are some other medical conditions that can result in severe heel pain including some types of arthritis, injury to fascia, a nerve entrapment behind the ankle, stress fracture of heel bone or a cyst or a tumor in heel bone. Seniors often have this problem as with passing age, tissue breakdown is common and damage to plantar fascia leads to heel pain. With obese people, there is a constant stress on muscles, connective tissues and skeleton. Extra weight causes more pressure on the heels leading to injury of heel bone.
Symptoms of classic plantar fasciitis are clearly delineated and one must watch out if he has any of the following symptoms.
A sharp stabbing on the inside part of the heel
Heel pain is felt acutely when a person tries to plant his feet in the morning on the surface or when he tries to get up after sitting for a considerable period of time.
Heel pain subsides after some time but resurfaces after you have been on your feet for some time.
It is possible to treat plantar fasciitis or at least control the symptoms of heel pain. Stretching is a good way to alleviate the symptoms of this ailment. Back of the lower leg must be stretched to relieve pressure on the heel. This exercise should be done at regular intervals throughout the day. Another way to prevent these symptoms of heel pain is to make use of night splints. These are devices that hold foot and ankle in a position such that no contracting of muscle and tendon takes place while sleeping. Ice massage and use of anti inflammatory drugs is another way to relieve oneself of heel pain.