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What Causes Painful Right Heel When Diagnosed With Achilles Tendonitis?
Question: I have had a painful right heel since February, 2015. I have been to 3 GP's who have said I have Achilles Tendonitis and that the pain will go away by itself. After being fed up I made an appointment to go and see a podiatrist for his opinion. He asked if I had had an xray of my foot. After the XRay, I had a follow up appt with him and he said he can't help me as I have a bone spur on the back of my heel. He said I needed a referral to and foot surgeon to have the bone spur removed.
I went along to our family doctor and asked for a referral and she wasn't confident in giving me the referral saying that all surgeons want to do is take your money and carve you up.
What treatment would you be recommending?
I went along to our family doctor and asked for a referral and she wasn't confident in giving me the referral saying that all surgeons want to do is take your money and carve you up.
What treatment would you be recommending?
Brief Answer:
conservative treatment has to be tried first
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
although an orthopedics specialist should be consulted to exclude other less common causes, it seems like a case of plantar fasciitis, which is a difficult to heal condition. It usually takes months to the careful and dedicated patient. The spur itself could cause symptoms or it could be just a radiological finding without clinical consequences.
A very common symptom is intense pain particularly on the first step after getting up from bed or rest.
The best way to treat it includes:
- avoiding walking barefoot
- using soft shoes with a little elevation on the heel (by using silicon pads for example)
- stretching exercises for the Achilles tendon (unless painful to do so)
- avoid standing or walking/running too much. Avoid whatever causes pain or discomfort.
Using painkillers is not recommended because this is going to take some time and using them for so long would almost certainly cause side effects.
Surgical approaches can be considered in a particularly prolonged and failed conservative treatment (more than 1 year).
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
conservative treatment has to be tried first
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
although an orthopedics specialist should be consulted to exclude other less common causes, it seems like a case of plantar fasciitis, which is a difficult to heal condition. It usually takes months to the careful and dedicated patient. The spur itself could cause symptoms or it could be just a radiological finding without clinical consequences.
A very common symptom is intense pain particularly on the first step after getting up from bed or rest.
The best way to treat it includes:
- avoiding walking barefoot
- using soft shoes with a little elevation on the heel (by using silicon pads for example)
- stretching exercises for the Achilles tendon (unless painful to do so)
- avoid standing or walking/running too much. Avoid whatever causes pain or discomfort.
Using painkillers is not recommended because this is going to take some time and using them for so long would almost certainly cause side effects.
Surgical approaches can be considered in a particularly prolonged and failed conservative treatment (more than 1 year).
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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