Why You Shouldn’t Assume Your Foot Pain Is A Heel Spur

A considerable amount of people assume that pain in the heel means they must be developing a heel spur. This is an easy judgment to make as heel spurs can cause a great deal of discomfort, although, less than 50% of individuals actually feel any pain because of them. Heel spurs will most often not cause you any problems, so if you concentrate solely on this being the diagnosis, you could miss the real underlying problem. 

What's causing your pain?

Repetitive overuse

This is the most dominant form of heel pain. Those most likely to suffer are those who walk heavily on their feet, are carrying extra weight and run long distances. The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. If this becomes tight, you are more liable to inflammation and annoyance. 

Impact injuries

These can create deep bruises either on the fat pad or the ball of your foot, making it feel as if you are walking on a pebble. Heel bone fractures have also been known to cause pain. 

Strenuous activities

These can include running, jumping, swimming, and there are many more. It causes discomfort and inflammation in the ball of the foot. 

Arch pain

This affects the arch of the foot and the heel. The pain is most commonly caused by plantar fasciitis and is usually most noticeable in the early morning or after sitting for prolonged periods of time. 

Wearing high heels

A condition known as Morton's Neuroma is a thickening of the tissue surrounding the nerves between the bases of the toes and is usually found in women who wear high heels. This leads to numbness and pain in the ball of the foot. 

Furthermore, there are thousands of other assorted causes other than those listed above—for instance, arthritis, bunions, ingrown toenails and turf toe. 

On average, it takes six months to reach full recovery from a foot injury. Only around 5% of people fail to improve with some form of treatment. You can help yourself by following these tips:

Stretch

It is ideal to begin using a home stretching programme. Using an efficient night splint can help keep your foot's angle at 90 degrees and make morning stretching much easier. 

Wear appropriate shoes

If you're going running, wear running shoes, for hiking, wear hiking boots. This small change will work wonders on supporting your feet properly. 

Also, make sure to purchase everyday shoes that will not rub on any part of your foot and use extra padding to mitigate sore bones and relieve pressure. 

Tender, love and care

Show your feet the love that they deserve, take anti-inflammatories and ice your foot for the pain. Arch supports will cushion your feet and absorb the shock of every step. 

Get help from a podiatrist

The best thing you can do for your feet is to seek help from a qualified professional like ourselves.