The human foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 ligaments, tendons, and muscles. It’s an intricate part of the body responsible for upright support and mobility.
While many patients think that heel pain originates in the heel bone (the calcaneus), it might actually come from an inflamed ligament (the plantar fascia) that runs along bottom of the foot and inserts into the bone. Arch pain is often caused by tears in the tendons that connect muscle to bone and provide stability and support.
Because the foot is so complex, a proper medical evaluation is important to diagnose the cause of heel and arch pain. Yet, relief is easier to achieve than you might think. In Dr. Shier’s experience, 99 percent of heel pain can be treated without surgery.
Here are three common causes of heel and arch foot pain:
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fibrous band of tissue (fascia) that runs along the bottom (plantar surface) of the foot, from the heel to the base of the toes. It’s a painful condition that’s common among athletes and occurs when the plantar fascia stretches or tears. The pain often flares up after a night’s sleep, but may seem to improve with walking. Stretching, rest, and ice are some of the suggested remedies to reduce the inflammation, but if that doesn’t help, you may need to see a podiatrist for medication, orthotics, or surgery as a last resort.
Heel Spurs
A heel spur is a bony growth that forms on the underside of the heel bone towards the arch. It forms from repeated strain on the foot’s muscles and ligaments, which calcify to form a spur. A heel spur may be caused by an imbalanced gait, increased activity, poorly fitted shoes, or weight gain. While it’s not painful in every instance, sometimes it can be extremely painful while standing or walking. Treatment is similar to suggested remedies for plantar fasciitis, including stretching, rest, and orthotics. Surgery is not usually recommended.
Flat Feet/Fallen Arches
Truly flat feet are genetic. For most of us, however, flat feet are caused by fallen arches that develop as we age. Like an old elastic band, the plantar fascia tissue on the underside of the foot elongates, stretches, and deteriorates from wear and tear. As it pulls away from the bones in the foot, the arch flattens out. Whether or not your feet hurt is dependent on your lifestyle and level of activity, and the type of shoes you wear. Running shoes or sneakers are best.
The symptoms of fallen arches include swelling on the inside of the ankle, difficulty standing or walking for long periods of time, pain that gets worse with activity, and eventually, pain on the outside of the ankle as the gait changes and the heel bone shifts outward.
Treatment for fallen arches may include specially designed orthotics to relieve pressure, less activity, ice, anti-inflammatories, weight loss, and on rare occasions, a leg cast or surgery. Since the ligaments will continue to deteriorate if left untreated, an early diagnosis of fallen arches is important to help reduce pain.
When it comes to the feet, fashion and function don’t mix, which is why flip-flops and high heels cause pain. If everyone wore running shoes, podiatrists wouldn’t have anything to do all day. – Dr. Alan Shier