Frequent Questions for Heel Pain

Heel pain is a common ailment for patients of all ages. In part, this can be attributed to the fact there are many potential causes of heel pain. To determine why your heel hurts, a good starting point is to identify where the pain is coming from relative to the heel and when it is strongest. 

• If the pain is prominent on the bottom of the heel and tends to be more severe in the morning (especially with the first steps of the day), the likely cause is plantar fasciitis. 
• If the pain is prominent in the back of the heel and tends to worsen during and following physical activity, the likely cause is Achilles tendinitis. 
• If the pain is prominent in the back of the heel and happening to an adolescent child or teen, the likely cause is Sever’s disease. 

There are other causes of heel pain, but these ones are generally the most common – plantar fasciitis is the leading source of heel pain for adults and Sever’s is the leading source for adolescents. 

Whereas heel pain is common, it isn’t “normal.” Pain is your body’s way of letting you know something is wrong and needs to be addressed. If you are suffering from heel pain, contact our office and let Dr. Ripepi treat it for you. 

There are many different causes of heel pain and, accordingly, a variety of treatment options. The good news is conservative (nonsurgical) care is often quite effective in relieving heel pain. This can include options like medication, icing, stretching programs, changing footwear, and orthotic devices. 

In the rare cases where surgery is recommended, it is typically performed to release a tight connective tissue, remove a bone spur, or repair a fractured heel bone. 

We treat every patient on a case-by-case basis, so your treatment plan will be customized to factor in your unique circumstances (the source of the heel pain, your lifestyle and goals, etc.). That said, it is always our hope to be able to provide relief and ultimate recovery without needing to use surgical intervention. Fortunately, we often can.