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Pain In Heel And Arch Of Foot. Bruising And Pain In Ankle. Have Haematoma Below Knee. Need Advise?

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Posted on Thu, 7 Nov 2013
Question: So, now I have a lot of pain in the heel and arch of my foot to the point that I really don't even want to walk around on it at all. This has been going on for the last 2 days. I haven't had any foot pain until now I did have a lot of bruising and pain with my ankle. I am thinking this must be from the nerves that have been damaged in this fall. The swelling has gone down a lot I still have bruising on the top of my foot and of course still have the hematoma below my knee. Thoughts PLEASE!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Nsah Bernard (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Likely suffering from plantar fasciitis

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX

I suspect that you are having either plantar fasciitis or referred foot pain (from your ankle injury or undetected foot fracture.
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. It occurs when the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overstretched or overused. This can be painful and make walking more difficult.
You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you have:
- Foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches)
- Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
- Sudden weight gain or obesity
- Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
- Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles
- Less likely due to injury to the foot
In order to feel relief from the pain, I will recommend the following:

- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to reduce pain and inflammation
- Heel and foot stretching exercises
- Night splints to wear while sleeping to stretch the foot
- Resting as much as possible for at least a week
- Wearing shoes with good support and cushions

Other steps to relieve pain include:
- Apply ice to the painful area. Do this at least twice a day for 10 - 15 minutes, more often in the first couple of days.
- Try wearing a heel cup, felt pads in the heel area, or shoe inserts.
- Use night splints to stretch the injured fascia and allow it to heal.
But first, you might need a doctor to examine you in order to confirm this, given that you had an injury which could have resulted to a fracture (unsuspected). An x-ray will help rule out that possibility. Heal spur also needs to be ruled out.
How ever, the above treatment methods can help in all injuries sustained by your foot but a fracture might require POP.
If problem persist this above, make sure you see an orthopedic surgeon before problem gets worst.

Hope this helps and feel free to write back for further clarifications.
Dr. Nsah
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Nsah Bernard

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2012

Answered : 1704 Questions

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Pain In Heel And Arch Of Foot. Bruising And Pain In Ankle. Have Haematoma Below Knee. Need Advise?

Brief Answer:
Likely suffering from plantar fasciitis

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX

I suspect that you are having either plantar fasciitis or referred foot pain (from your ankle injury or undetected foot fracture.
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. It occurs when the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overstretched or overused. This can be painful and make walking more difficult.
You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you have:
- Foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches)
- Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
- Sudden weight gain or obesity
- Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
- Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles
- Less likely due to injury to the foot
In order to feel relief from the pain, I will recommend the following:

- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to reduce pain and inflammation
- Heel and foot stretching exercises
- Night splints to wear while sleeping to stretch the foot
- Resting as much as possible for at least a week
- Wearing shoes with good support and cushions

Other steps to relieve pain include:
- Apply ice to the painful area. Do this at least twice a day for 10 - 15 minutes, more often in the first couple of days.
- Try wearing a heel cup, felt pads in the heel area, or shoe inserts.
- Use night splints to stretch the injured fascia and allow it to heal.
But first, you might need a doctor to examine you in order to confirm this, given that you had an injury which could have resulted to a fracture (unsuspected). An x-ray will help rule out that possibility. Heal spur also needs to be ruled out.
How ever, the above treatment methods can help in all injuries sustained by your foot but a fracture might require POP.
If problem persist this above, make sure you see an orthopedic surgeon before problem gets worst.

Hope this helps and feel free to write back for further clarifications.
Dr. Nsah