The Causes of Heel Pain | Can Orthotics Help?

What Are Some Causes of Heel Pain?

Heel pain can often happen due to an infection or an injury to the heel of the foot. It can be in the bone or some of the tissues and structures of your foot. In some cases, the nerves of the foot or the ankle will be affected and you may need to treat that condition instead. There are a few issues that can cause heel pain including

Plantar Fasciitis

This is a condition where the band of tissue that goes along the arch of the foot will get inflamed. Since it connects to the bone in the heel, it can cause throbbing or stabbing pain in the heel as well. You will notice it the most when you have to stand up for a long period or when you first get up in the morning.

This condition will get much worse as time goes on. You will need to ice the foot and give it plenty of rest to help prevent it from getting worse. If these steps do not seem to do the job, then it is time to consider getting a pair of custom orthotics to relieve some of the pressure and redistribute the weight so you can give the heel a break.

Achilles Tendonitis

This is a condition that will refer to inflammation in the Achilles tendon. This tendon is large and can suffer from a good deal of damage and pain as well. You may notice a tightening or burning pain in the heel when this happens. Morning stiffness and mild swelling are common with it as well.

This condition is most common when you overuse the tendon and do not take care of it when exercising or being active. If you let Achilles Tendonitis go on for a long time without healing or letting it recover, then it can get worse and may cause the tendon to tear, or even rupture. This is most likely when you are going through some intense physical activity.

There are a few other things that can cause heel pain, but they are less common. They can cause a lot of pain if you are not careful. These include:

• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Stress fracture
• Heel pad bruise
• Fat pad atrophy
• Haglund’s syndrome
• Sinus tarsi syndrome

These conditions can sometimes be treated with the help of a custom orthotic. You will need to spend some time discussing this with your doctor to see whether you can get relief from a custom orthotic or not. The right treatment and providing some relief to the heel of the foot, or other parts of the foot, will ensure you can feel better without all of the pain.

What are Orthotic Inserts?

Orthotics are simple shoe inserts you can either add to your existing insoles or use to replace your insoles to get more support along the way. There are two main types of inserts you can choose from, including over-the-counter orthotics and prescription orthotics.

Over the Counter Orthotics

The first option available is for you to choose an over-the-counter orthotic. There are many varieties and materials you can choose from. The right one can provide you with some good support or cushioning depending on what your feet are looking for at the time. These can often cost between $20 to $80 for a good pair.

Prescription Orthotics

Another option you can choose is a prescription orthotic. These are custom-made for your feet and prescribed by your doctor. These can be more efficient because they will be designed for your unique foot and can work to heal whatever is wrong with your foot. If you have heel pain, it is best to work with prescription orthotics instead.

You will have to take a look at both of these to determine which one is going to be able to help you heal pain the best. It is also important to note that custom orthotics can also be manufactured and purchased without a prescription from a doctor.

For severe issues that haven’t seen relief from some of the other treatments, a custom orthotic or a prescription orthotic is going to work the best for you.

Will Orthotic Insoles Work for Heel Pain?

Whether or not an orthotic will be able to heal the pain in your heel will depend on the condition. If something is wrong with the muscle or the foot tissue, then an insert will be able to help. You can use the custom orthotic to help realign the foot and make it more comfortable, allowing time to heal and recover.

A custom orthotic will be able to work hard to protect the foot and change some of the alignment issues that could be causing the pain in the foot. For example, custom orthotics are very good at protecting the foot when you suffer from plantar fasciitis because they will provide some additional foot support that relieves the pressure on the heel.

Many conditions will benefit when you choose to work with custom orthotics to deal with your heel pain. But if there is a problem with the nerves of your foot or heel, then the orthotic may not be as effective as with other conditions. You will need to talk to your doctor to see whether a custom orthotic will work for you or not.

Since these custom orthotics are designed to match your foot well, they can help many more conditions of the foot, heel, and ankle than you would imagine. Taking the time to discuss this with your doctor and giving custom orthotics a chance could relieve some of the pain you feel and can make walking and moving around so much easier.

Choosing the Right Orthotics to Eliminate Heel Pain

When you are dealing with a lot of heel pain regularly, you may need to look into custom foot orthotics to help relieve some of the pain you have been feeling. These orthotics can move some of the pressure around for your feet, providing you some relief and making sure you can relieve the heel and give it a break.

There are many benefits to choosing custom orthotics, but to ensure that they are suitable for your feet, you need to work with a podiatrist or another specialist. Our team will be able to ensure you can get the perfect custom orthotic for your needs. Use our free analysis tool to help narrow down what type of custom orthotic is best for you and get started ordering Urthotics today!