Heel pain can impact your daily life due to the impact it has on your gait and mobility. Many people with heel pain avoid going to the doctor until their pain is unmanageable. Heel pain is highly treatable so it’s important to seek professional help as soon as you notice the issue. Below you will find the most common heel pain myths.

Prevalence of Heel Pain

Heel pain is highly prevalent and the most common foot problem reported among Americans. In fact, nearly 2 million people are impacted by heel pain each year. Heel pain can impact your professional and personal life as it can make walking and moving around extremely difficult. This is because of the 26 bones in your foot, your heel is the largest. It provides a lot of support as it can handle the pressure of your entire body weight.

Common Heel Pain Myths

Heel pain is somewhat misunderstood and there is a lot of misinformation about the issue. Consider the following three debunked myths about heel pain.

Myth–Heel Pain is Caused by Heel Spurs:

Heel spurs can cause heel pain, but it’s just not that simple. Roughly 10% of the population have heel spurs. However, just 5% of those diagnosed with heel spurs actually have foot pain. With that, the bony growths are often found on imaging tests used to determine the cause of your heel pain. They may be a part of the problem, but they are often not the entire cause of your heel pain. One of the more likely causes of your heel pain is stress against the heel bone in the form of plantar fasciitis. In fact, bone spurs and plantar fasciitis often show up at the same time. And plantar fasciitis is the likely culprit causing your heel pain.

Myth–Heel Pain is Due to Family History:

Many things can be passed down through your family, but it’s not the most common cause of heel pain. There are some foot conditions that can be passed down, including bunions and flat feet. These conditions can result in heel pain, but the presence of the pain itself is not due to your genetics. It’s important to understand your family history and share that information with your foot and ankle doctor in Beverly Hills. This can help provide them with a more comprehensive understanding of the potential causes of your heel pain.

Myth–Heel Pain is Forever and Treatment Won’t Help

Heel pain can be really problematic and negatively impact your daily life. Many will deal with the pain based on the incorrect assumption that there is nothing that can be done about it. However, this is not the case! Heel pain treatment in Beverly Hills can improve your pain by finding the root cause of the issue. No matter what the cause of your heel pain is, there is an effective treatment option that can address the issue. Many of the treatments include minor changes that can dramatically improve your life. For example, changes in your footwear, daily routine, or even adjustments to your working environment can be adapted to help you improve your heel pain.

Heel Pain Treatment

Common heel pain symptoms include pain on the bottom or behind your heel, or on the arch of your foot. Heel pain can increase after you run or do other physically strenuous activities. Even without strenuous activity, heel pain that increases over time is a cause for concern.

Treatment is necessary and includes surgical, non-surgical methods, or sometimes both. This completely depends on the root cause of your heel pain and how severe the issue is. The first step in getting treatment for your heel pain is setting up an appointment with a skilled podiatrist. Contact the team at Jamfeet today for an appointment!