Heel pain after running is not unusual, but it shouldn't be taken lightly. There are many different causes of heel pain after running, so if home remedies do not help, you should always see your orthopedic doctor. What causes heel pain after running? How is heel pain treated after running?
Heel pain after runningis very troublesome, often making it impossible to walk normally.Treatment for heel painusually depends on what's causing it. Hence, it is so important to consult your doctor.
Heel pain after running: causes
- The causes of heel pain can be of three types: local, transferred, or systemic. The most common local causes of heel pain are: heel spur, plantar fascia enthesopathy, post-inflammatory changes, traumatic lesions, overload fractures, degenerative changes of the tarsal joints, heel fat loss, entrapment neuropathies (plantar nerve).
- The most common causes of heel pain are: disorders of the axis of the limb and adjacent joints, disorders of arterial and venous circulation, static anomalies of the feet, pathologies of the spine and pelvis, fascial tightness syndromes, muscle imbalance, Achilles contracture, inflammation of the synovial bursa or calcaneus Achilles.
- The most common systemic causes of heel pain are: diabetes mellitus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis (slow fractures), overweight.
Heel pain after running: treatment
If the heel pain persists, be sure to go to an orthopedist who, apart from other tests, will order an ultrasound and, depending on its results, will suggest further treatment. Usually, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are used, as well as rehabilitation and physical therapy (laser, ultrasound, iontophoresis, cryotherapy). Orthoses or orthopedic insoles are also often recommended. A physiotherapist will also teach you exercises that you can do at home.
A surgical procedure may be necessary when it is necessary to release a trapped nerve twig or a tense ligament strand, remove the heel spur, or correct a static foot deformity.