Why Do Your Heels Hurt? A Diagnostic Checklist
Heel pain is a frequent complaint that can significantly disrupt daily life. But "heel pain" isn't a specific diagnosis – it's a symptom with many potential underlying causes!
Understanding how and when your heel hurts provides vital clues. The following checklist helps identify potential reasons for your discomfort, courtesy of the team at The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland.
The Heel Pain Diagnostic Checklist
Consider your symptoms and see which of these common scenarios best describes your experience:
1. Is your heel pain sharpest with those first few steps in the morning or after periods of rest? This strongly suggests...
Plantar Fasciitis. This classic symptom points to inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick tissue band on your foot's sole. The fascia tightens during rest, causing pain when first stretched.
2. Is the pain primarily located at the back of your heel, possibly extending into your Achilles tendon, and worse with activity or climbing stairs? This could indicate...
Achilles Tendonitis. Inflammation of the large Achilles tendon, connecting your calf muscle to your heel bone, is a common cause of pain here.
3. Do you feel a burning sensation, tingling, or numbness in your heel, sometimes radiating into your arch or toes? This might be...
Nerve Involvement. Conditions like Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (a pinched nerve in your ankle) or Baxter's Nerve Entrapment can cause these distinct neuropathic symptoms.
4. Did your heel pain start suddenly after an injury (like a fall or jump) with significant swelling, bruising, and difficulty putting weight on your foot? It might be…
A Heel Bone Fracture or Stress Fracture. A break or tiny crack in the calcaneus (heel bone) needs prompt medical evaluation.
5. Is there a noticeable, often tender bump on the back of your heel, frequently irritated by shoes? This could be...
Haglund's Deformity (often called a "Pump Bump"). This is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel bone.
6. If the heel pain is in an active child or teenager (typically ages 8-14), and often worse during or after sports, this is commonly...
Sever's Disease (Calcaneal Apophysitis). This involves inflammation of the heel bone's growth plate, related to growth spurts and activity.
7. Does it feel like there's less cushioning under your heel, and pain is worse on hard surfaces? This may point to...
Fat Pad Atrophy. The natural protective fatty padding under your heel can thin over time due to age or repetitive stress.
Why an Accurate Diagnosis is Essential
This checklist offers possibilities, but self-diagnosing can be misleading. Many conditions have overlapping symptoms, and the treatment for plantar fasciitis differs greatly from that for a nerve issue or fracture.
Contact the office of Dr. Ross Cohen of The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland in Glen Burnie, MD, at (410) 761-3501 to schedule your initial diagnostic appointment. We look forward to meeting you!