Down the Rabbit Hole of Heel Pain
If you have heel pain, it’s pretty common to search and see what Dr. Google says about it. Normally it leads you to the fact that you have the dreaded plantar fasciitis.
So, you try to follow some protocol from a website or a fancy new tool on amazon. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
And then you have a heel pain that may be getting worse despite the fact that you’re trying everything to make it feel better. Frustration sets in.
Now you visit a surgeon and rack up more costs with MRIs or X-Rays with still no answer.
Climbing Out of the Hole
Where did you go wrong? It may not have been you. It could have started with the interwebs leading you to believe that you have plantar fasciitis. This is typically not the main issue for heel pain.
Plantar fasciitis is more common in those who are obese AND need to stand for long periods of time, not runners or athletes.
Instead, I see the pain arising more from the muscles near the plantar fascia, or the heel fat pad itself. Not many people understand that you have a beautiful chunk of fat on your heel that protects your calcaneus (heel bone) from all the force during limb loading.
This fat pad on your heel, if injured, doesn’t heal (no pun intended). Injections make it worse.
Healing the Heel
So, what’s to be done? Desensitize it. A fat pad injury needs to be desensitized. It can take months to get back to 100%, but it is worth it.
Fat pads are desensitized by keeping them from smashing against hard surfaces or pointy objects that can resensitize the injured spot.
A fat pad injury is one of the injuries we take seriously because it can end a running career if not treated well. If you’re a runner, we know how serious that can be for you.
If you are frustrated with your heel pain, reach out so you can figure out the real issue that causing you pain and slowing you down.