Pounding the feet on hard surfaces during sports or wearing ill-fitting shoes are among the most common causes of heel pain, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The AAOS states that heel pain is the most common cause of foot and ankle problems. In most cases--and with sufficient rest--heel pain will self-resolve or get better on its own without requiring surgical intervention.
Reactive Arthritis
Reactive arthritis can cause heel pain. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders or NIAMS--a division of the National Institute of Health--reactive arthritis, formerly known as Reiter's syndrome, is a type of arthritis or joint inflammation that manifests due to a reaction to infection in another part of the body. Reactive arthritis usually is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is usually acquired through sexual contact with an infected person. Common signs and symptoms associated with reactive arthritis include heel pain, pain and swelling at the back of the ankle, knee, ankle and feet joint pain, swollen toes, pain during urination, mouth ulcers and skin rashes. The NIAMS states that reactive arthritis symptoms typically last for three to 12 months, although in some people, symptoms may return later on or develop into a chronic disease.
Retrocalcaneal Bursitis
Retrocalcaneal bursitis can cause heel pain. MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health states that retrocalcaneal bursitis is a swelling or inflammation of the bursa--a fluid-filled sac--situated behind the heel bone. Bursae serve as cushions or shock absorbers to help decrease friction between tendons and bone. Many of the large joints in the body have surrounding bursae to prevent pain during repetitive motions, including the ankle. The retrocalcaneal bursa is situated at the back of the ankle, between the bulky Achilles tendon and the heel bone. Excessive or repetitive use of the ankle can irritate or inflame the bursa, causing heel pain. Activities such as walking, running and jumping can be particularly provocative if performed to excess. Common signs and symptoms associated with retrocalcaneal bursitis include heel pain with activity or when the affected area is pressed, redness and warmth over the back of the heel and heel pain that's made worse when rising on the toes.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis can cause heel pain. According Genetics Home Reference, a service of the National Library of Medicine, ankylosing spondylitis is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis that usually affects the spine, including the sacroiliac joints in the pelvis. Ankylosing spondylitis is characterized by back pain and stiffness that manifests during the teenage years or early adult years. Ankylosing spondylitis is a progressive disorder, which means that, over time, spinal range of motion becomes limited and spinal bones or vertebrae fuse together. Common signs and symptoms associated with ankylosing spondylitis include chronic pain in the lower back and hips, pain that's worse in the morning, a stooping posture, fatigue, anorexia or loss of appetite and eye and bowel inflammation. Another ankylosing spondylitis symptom is enthesitis or inflammation of the entheses--the location where a tendon attaches to a bone. A person with ankylosing spondylitis may experience enthesitis of the heel bone, at the point where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone.
