Diagnosing Heel Pain in Adults
Heel pain in adults
Heel pain in any age groups is discomforting and can cause extreme pain and immobility for any individual. The reasons behind heel pain are like excessive overworking of the feet without any rest. Athletes and players who change their regular regime of exercise with sudden increase and sudden decrease without any conditioning of the body or without letting the body adjust to the changed schedule are the most vulnerable to heel pain. In adults those who have an arthritis or diabetes are the main victims of heel pain. While diagnosing heel pain in adults the history of these ailments besides the age needs to be taken into consideration otherwise the treatment and the healing of the heel pain may lead to worsen the condition.
Causes of heel pain in adults
Heel pain is primarily related to the different muscles and ligaments of the foot and the inflammation of these muscles or tendons due to deterioration or any other ailments results in the weakening of the tissues and thus causes pain. The soft tissues of the foot muscles and the osseous and the systemic disorders are held to be the general reasons for heel pain in adults. While diagnosing the heel pain in adults there has to be a thorough examination of the physical history of the patient and the checking of the lower extremity so that the pain can be located. Imaging of the body is desirable if there is any doubt regarding infection, trauma, or any stress fracture the patient has undergone. The history of heel pain in the adult patient relates to the variation of the pain in the day and also the worsening and relieving of the heel pain in the adults are important for knowing the heel pain. If the patient reports pain as being burning or being numb or even he feels a tingling in the heels the pain then may cause by the peripheral nerve entrapment.
The physical examination of the patient
When determining the cause of heel pain in adults the importance of physical examination is significant. The physical examination of the patient’s foot is done in different positions like for example when the foot is at the resting position or when it is made to bear weight. The physical examination may yield important findings in determining the cause of the pain in heels.