Heel pain - one of the most common complaints which graces us with its presence, here at Peak Podiatry.

Heel pain can be one of the most debilitating pains in the foot because of how much body weight travels through our heels during the gait cycle. Heel pain can be caused by a number of different factors

• Injury to the heel - Sudden heel pain is often as a result of trauma to the foot. This can be from stepping down to hard on the heel or even something dropping on the heel

• Overuse of the heel - Sometimes heel pain can develop where people suddenly take up a sport or begin walking more than usual

• Wearing the wrong shoes for exercise - Wearing the correct shoes for your foot type and the type of exercise you are doing is an imperative part of avoiding injury

• Exercise without first stretching - Without a warm up and a proper stretch before activity, various soft tissue structures such as ligaments and muscles can be strained causing pain at the heel

• Wearing shoes which don't fit properly - Shoes which do not match your foot shape, are too loose or too tight can cause a change in gait which can in turn lead to injury. Click here to check out our other blogs on footwear if you'd like more advice.

• Wearing high heeled shoes - High heeled shoes place a tremendous amount of pressure on your forefoot and shorten the muscles in the calf. This can in turn cause a strain at the heel when the foot is back on level ground, causing significant heel pain. 

Many of the above named causes of heel pain are something which we can change in our behaviour in order to prevent this pesky problem, so make the changes now!!

However, if this problem has already caught up with you, what should you do??? 

Luckily, at peak Podiatry, we have the answer. Our podiatrists are seasoned experts in the field of heel pain and can help you to identify the cause and eliminate it for good.

If you'd like to book in for an appointment, or you'd like some more information, give us a call on 091 734 140 to chat with one of our dedicated team. 

Start off 2024 on the right foot, and let that pain perish today