The Heel Of The Foot Hurts When Jogging

Sharp or stabbing heel pain can make the most avid runner cringe at the thought of a daily jog. Heel pain can be acute or chronic in nature and can be caused by a variety of injuries such as plantar fasciitis, a bruised heel and a stress fracture. Treatment often includes rest, ice and over-the-counter pain medications. For severe or chronic heel pain, consult a physician.

Causes and Injuries

Worn or poorly fitted running shoes, overtraining, tight muscles and flat or high arches may lead to chronic heel pain. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of chronic heel pain, and if untreated might lead to a heel spur or a ruptured plantar fascia, increasing heel pain. Other chronic injuries include tarsal tunnel syndrome, sciatica and a stress fracture of the heel bone. Unlike chronic heel pain, acute heel pain may happen suddenly from trauma like stepping on a rock causing a bruised heel.

Treatment and Rehabilitation

Stop jogging, ice and take over-the-counter pain medications to reduce your heel pain and inflammation. For plantar fasciitis, stretch and massage your calf and foot daily as well. A heel spur, a ruptured plantar fascia, tarsal tunnel syndrome, sciatica and a stress fracture will require further medical treatment from a physician and physical therapist. Rehabilitation may include stretching, non-weight bearing strength exercises, joint manipulation and improving your running mechanics. For severe cases when conservative treatment is unsuccessful, immobilization or surgery may be necessary.

Exercise Modifications

To reduce your heel pain you may need to either decrease your jogging mileage or stop jogging temporarily. To reduce your jogging mileage, you can jog every other day instead of every day or shorten your daily jogs. However, you should not jog if you are still experiencing heel pain or if your physician has recommended that you stop. Jogging on flat surfaces and wearing a heel pad may also help alleviate heel pain. If jogging is still painful, swimming, cycling and elliptical are excellent cardio alternatives.

Prevention

Include a warm-up, cooldown and stretch whenever you jog to keep muscles and joints flexible. Increase your mileage slowly and include active recovery days and cross-training into your weekly exercise routine to avoid overtraining and injuries. Replace your shoes every three to six months or before they are worn, and wear shoes appropriate for your foot type. When you find a pair of running shoes that work for you, you may want to buy several pairs because shoe companies are constantly changing and discontinuing shoes. If you find that shoes alone do not provide the support and comfort you are looking for, consult a podiatrist to get fitted for orthotics.