There are many causes of heel pain. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, or ACFAS, heel pain can be caused by stress fractures, tendinitis, arthritis, nerve irritation, or a cyst, among other causes. Heel pain can range from mild to severe, and in some cases, it can affect a person's activities of daily living. Most heel pain can be successfully treated using conservative care methods, although some heel pain may require medical attention.
Heel Fractures
Heel fractures can cause heel pain. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP, the calcaneus, or heel bone, is the most commonly fractured tarsal, or ankle bone. Although tarsal bone fractures represent only two percent of all adult fractures, 60 percent of tarsal fractures occur in the calcaneus. The ACFAS states that traumatic injuries, such as falling off a tall object or being injured in the motor vehicle accident, cause most calcaneal fractures, although heel fractures can also be caused by severe sprain or repetitive stress on the heel. Common signs and symptoms associated with traumatic heel fractures include immediate pain in the affected heel, an inability to bear weight or walk on the involved foot, and heel and ankle swelling and bruising. According to the ACFAS, for some calcaneal fractures, non-surgical treatments, including rest, ice, compression and elevation, temporary foot and ankle immobilization and activity modification, may be used.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis can cause heel pain. MayoClinic.com states that ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes joint pain and inflammation. Although ankylosing spondylitis usually targets the spinal joints, it can cause pain and inflammation in other parts of a person's body, as well. In fact, ankylosing spondylitis is characterized by inflammation of the entheses--the locations where joint capsules, ligaments and tendons attach to a bone. According to the Spondylitis Association of America, an organization dedicated to curing ankylosing spondylitis and related diseases, ankylosing spondylitis affects the heel in about 30 percent of cases. Ankylosing spondylitis-related heel pain and tenderness can significantly impair a person's mobility. The two principle areas of the foot affected by ankylosing spondylitis include the back of the heel, at the insertion point of the Achilles tendon, and the plantar fascia, underneath the foot, where it attaches to the front of the calcaneus.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome can cause heel pain. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, tarsal tunnel syndrome is an entrapment or compression injury of the posterior tibial nerve as it passes beneath the medial malleolus, or the bony bump on the inside of the ankle. When the posterior tibial nerve is compressed or squeezed, it causes symptoms to manifest anywhere along the path of the nerve, from the medial or inside part of the ankle into the foot. The ACFAS states that tarsal tunnel syndrome is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist. Both conditions are caused by the compression of a nerve--the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, as it passes through a confined space. Common signs and symptoms associated with tarsal tunnel syndrome include burning pain that radiates into the heel and foot, numbness in the sole of the foot, foot pain when running, and foot pain that's worse at night.
References
- American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: Heel Pain
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Calcaneus (Heel Bone) Fractures
- American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: Fractures of the Calcaneus
- MayoClinic.com: Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Spondylitis Association of America: Complications: How is a Person Affected?
