Who hasn’t felt that unpleasant little pain in their heel when they put their foot down in the morning? We often tell ourselves that it’s « nothing, » just tiredness or the shoes we wore the day before. However, when this discomfort sets in and turns even the slightest walk into a real difficulty, we start to ask ourselves questions… So, where does this pain really come from and, above all, how can we regain a light step without suffering?
The most common causes of heel pain
The first culprit, and by far the most well-known, is plantar fasciitis . Imagine an elastic band connecting your toes to your heel: it supports the arch of the foot. When it’s overused, it becomes irritated and causes that famous sharp pain, often upon waking or after sitting for a long time. Athletes who run a lot, but also people who stand for hours at work, are familiar with it .
But that’s not the only explanation! Achilles tendinopathy , for example, can also be the cause of pain, as can heel spurs , small bony growths that form on the heel bone. Add to that bad posture, shoes that are too rigid ( or on the contrary, insufficiently structured ), and even a lack of warm-up before sport: a combination of factors that can promote the onset of pain .
Why are some people more affected than others?
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