What Is Overload Heel Pain Syndrome?

Plantar fasciitis is perhaps the most common cause of heel pain in our patients, but there are many other causes of heel pain. Overload Heel Pain Syndrome is one of many potential causes for your heel pain.
Overload Heel Pain Syndrome affects the padding directly under the heel due to irritation from day to day pressure from walking, standing, and other activities. If you think about it, your heels are really being overworked, not overloaded! Having an abnormally shaped heel bone and carrying too much weight can be causes of Overload Heel Pain Syndrome.
So, what are the differences between plantar fasciitis and Overload Heel Pain Syndrome? Those suffering with plantar fasciitis will usually complain of discomfort on the inside of the heel bone. Patients with Overload Heel Pain Syndrome will say that their heels hurt first thing in the morning when they wake or after rising from rest.
Treatment for Overload Heel Pain Syndrome is typically non-surgical and conservative. The goal is to take some of the weight off the heel bone, so padding, taping, or orthotics may be prescribed. These treatment methods redirect the forces away from the damaged tissue and protect the heel bone from further damage. Some podiatrists will use heat therapies like ultra sound or electrical stimulation to repair the damaged tissues.
If you have heel pain, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Craig M. Kaufman, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Newington
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter.

Plantar Fascia Rupture

You're running, playing your favorite sport, or simply going up the stairs at your house, when suddenly you feel a snap in your heel, followed by intense pain. Ouch! The pain is so severe that you head to the emergency room, where they tell you you have a ruptured, or torn plantar fascia and refer you to a podiatrist for further treatment. 
Your plantar fascia stretches from your heel bone to your big toe and is the largest ligament in your foot. When you hear someone say, "I have plantar fasciitis and it really hurts!", they're talking about inflammation of the plantar fascia. 
Ruptures of the plantar fascia are not common injuries, but they are often seen in conjunction with someone who has plantar fasciitis. Someone with plantar fasciitis will sometimes have small tears in the ligament which can progress to complete tears when there is too much stress. That's why when we're doing movements that are quick or sudden, our plantar fascia can rupture. 
Sometimes when you have a plantar fascia tear, you may not even feel the tear. You may notice that your foot is swollen, particularly near your heel, and have extreme pain, which is more severe in the morning than the rest of the day. The pain may ebb when resting. 
To know if you have a plantar fascia tear or just plantar fasciitis, the difference is typically that pain with a tear is extreme in the morning, and while it lessens during the day, it never goes away. In plantar fasciitis, the pain will usually go away throughout the day. You will also feel localized pain on the bottom of your foot. Pain that travels elsewhere is likely not a plantar fascia tear. 
The causes for a plantar fascia tear are excessive strain and overuse. When we experience weight gain, are obese, wear worn out shoes, or exercise too vigorously, or have inherent arch issues, we are prone to plantar fascia problems.
Your podiatrist will recommend icing to reduce swelling and inflammation and anti-inflammatory medications to ease your pain. Some will tape your plantar fascia to provide stability and recommend custom orthotics to correct arch issues. Severe cases of a plantar fascia rupture will require cortisone shots or surgery to repair the tendon.
Reference: eHow
If you are experiencing heel pain, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, follow my tweets on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook.

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Lateral Plantar Nerve Entrapment

Lateral plantar nerve entrapment causes pain in the inner, lower heel, and inner ankle area. The lateral plantar nerve is a branch of the posterior tibial nerve which passes through the tarsal tunnel. This nerve provides the skin of the fifth toe and the lateral half of the fourth, as well as most of the deep muscles. It is also sometimes called Baxter's nerve, for Dr. Donald Baxter, a Houston orthopedist who described the condition in 1984. An entrapment may occur between the abductor hallucis muscles and the quadratus planus muscle. 
Lateral plantar nerve entrapment is often seen in athletes, as it is a repetitive stress injury. 
Symptoms include pain that radiates from the inner, lower heel to the inner ankle area. Numbness is not common in this condition. Baxter's nerve entrapment is often confused with plantar fasciitis. So how do you tell the difference? Plantar fasciitis is worst in the morning when you take that first step out of bed. Pain from a Baxter's nerve entrapment gets worse as you put weight on your foot throughout the day. You'll still feel pain when you're off your feet when you have an entrapment- with plantar fasciitis, the pain is relieved. 
Treatment includes rest, anti-inflammatory medications, supporting the arch of the foot with tape, orthotics to correct the overpronation, cortisone shot, and if those options fail, surgical release. 
If you are experiencing heel pain, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, follow my tweets on Twitter, and friend or like our page on Facebook.

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Fat Pad Atrophy

Between our skin and heel bone, we have a one inch thick pad which acts as a shock absorber and cushion. This cushion is called a fat pad because it's mostly made up of fatty tissue. The pad is divided into sections by ligamentous baffles which keep the fat pad from spreading out and keeping the pad where it belongs- under the heel.
Over time, this fat pad can stretch out, causing us to lose some of that cushion and creating pain in the heel. Weight bearing is often very uncomfortable when this occurs. Typically, fat pad atrophy happens to the elderly, but runners and athletes who run a lot suffer from this condition. Also, if you've landed hard on a surface while barefoot, jumped in dress shoes with a hard heel, stepped on a stone, or work on a surface that is concrete, tiled, or hardwood, you may also experience this pain.
Symptoms of this condition include:

• Pain in the middle of the heel. This is different from plantar fascia or bone spur pain, which would be present at the front of the heel. 
• A deep, dull aching pain that feels like a bruise.

Fat pad atrophy may or may not improve over time, so it is important to allow the heel to rest while it is healing. This will allow the inflammation to decrease. Talk with your podiatrist about a heel cup, which is inserted in your shoes and provides cushioning in the heel area. If this does not work, a heel insert may be added to your shoes to keep the fat pad in place. Other treatment options include icing after exercise or activity, wearing well-cushioned shoes, and avoiding walking barefoot on hard surfaces.
If you are experiencing heel pain, call our Rocky Hill or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Rocky Hill and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, follow my tweets on Twitter, and friend or like our page on Facebook.

Can Bone Spurs Cause Heel Pain?

Many people who believe they have heel pain think that bone spurs are the cause. While that may be the
source for some, for most cases bone spurs are not what causes your heel pain.
Bone spurs are a very common foot problem. In the feet, they develop most frequently in the heel, near the toes, and on top of the big toe joint. The spurs are small outgrowths of bone. In and of themselves, they are generally harmless. However, their location may cause friction or irritation from shoes or other foot structures, which can lead to other foot problems.
Heel spurs refer specifically to bone spurs in the heel. Heel spurs are an growth of the bone on the underside, forepart of the heel bone, and occur when the plantar fibrous band pulls at its attachment to the heel bone. This area of the heel later calcifies to form a spur. With proper warm-up and the use of appropriate athletic shoes, strain to the ligament can be reduced.
Anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, corrective shoes, and/or orthotics (special shoe inserts) are some of the common treatments for bone spurs. Note: Please consult with your podiatric physician before taking any medications. Surgery may be prescribed if spurring around the joint becomes severe or lead to recurrent pain from persistent corns.
Jeffrey S. Kahn, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in Rocky Hill, CT
Foot Doctor in Rocky Hill and Middletown CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook and follow our tweets on Twitter. 

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