Heel Injuries and Disorders: MedlinePlus

Heel Injuries and Disorders: MedlinePlus

 

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National Institutes of Health

Heel Injuries and Disorders

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Heel problems are common and can be painful. Often, they result from too much stress on your heel bone and the tissues that surround it. That stress can come from

• Injuries
• Bruises that you get walking, running or jumping
• Wearing shoes that don't fit or aren't made well
• Being overweight

These can lead to tendinitis, bursitis, and fasciitis, which are all types of inflammation of the tissues that surround your heel. Over time the stress can cause bone spurs and deformities. Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout, can also lead to heel problems. Treatments for heel problems might include rest, medicines, exercises, taping, and special shoes. Surgery is rarely needed.

 

 

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Achilles tendinitis
• Achilles tendon rupture - aftercare
• Bursitis of the heel
• Heel pain
• Plantar fasciitis

Related Topics

• Foot Health
• Foot Injuries and Disorders
• Bones, Joints and Muscles
• Injuries and Wounds

 

• Start Here

  • Heel Pain(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

 

 

 

• Overviews

  • Heel Pain(American Podiatric Medical Association)

• Diagnosis/Symptoms

  • Bone X-Ray (Radiography)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Foot Problems(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Search the Foot and Ankle: Interactive Foot Diagram(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)

• Treatment

  • Orthotic Devices(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
  • Shoe Inserts and Prescription Custom Orthotics(American Podiatric Medical Association)

• Rehabilitation/Recovery

  • Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - PDF
  • Return to top

• Specific Conditions

  • Achilles Tendinitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Achilles Tendon Rupture(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Calcaneus (Heel Bone) Fractures(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
  • Cracked Heels(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Haglund's Deformity(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Heel Spurs: Do They Always Cause Pain?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Inferior Calcaneal Bursitis(Merck & Co., Inc.)
  • Medial Plantar Nerve Entrapment(Merck & Co., Inc.)
  • Plantar Fasciitis(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Health Check Tools

  • Heel Pain(DSHI Systems)
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• Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Fasciitis, Plantar(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Heel(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Achilles Tendon Injuries(National Institutes of Health)
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• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
  • Article: Radial shock wave therapy for plantar fasciitis: a one year...
  • Article: Displacement of the sustentacular fragment in intra-articular calcaneal fractures.
  • Article: I have terrible pain in the bottom of my foot,...
  • Article: Investigations on the viscoelastic behaviour of a human healthy heel...
  • Heel Injuries and Disorders -- see more articles
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• Dictionaries/Glossaries

  • Glossary of Foot and Ankle Terms(American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society)
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• Directories

  • Find an ACFAS Physician(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
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• Organizations

  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
  • American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
  • American Podiatric Medical Association
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Statistics

  • Tight Shoes and Foot Problems(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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• Children

  • Don't Ignore Your Kid's Heel Pain(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
  • Sever's Disease(Nemours Foundation)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Teenagers

  • Points about Shoes(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
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• Patient Handouts

  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Achilles tendon rupture - aftercare
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Bursitis of the heel
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Heel pain
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Also available in Spanish