Heel pain and Homeopathy

Heel pain is the body’s way of drawing attention to an injury or a damage happening to the heel tissues. Pain can be after an external injury or due to internal causes.

Who can be prone to heel pain

• Middle aged men and woman
• Obese persons
• Persons engaged in regular sports activities even children of the early adolescent period
• Persons who are involved in occupations which keep them on their feet for long durations.

The causes of heel pain

• Biomechanical balance, abnormal way of walking which causes undue stress on the tissues around the heel.
• Stress on heel caused by injury or bruises caused due to jumping, running on hard surfaces.
• Wearing wrongly constructed footwear
• Being overweight.
• Heel spur/calcaneal spur – a bony growth/projection of the calcaneus or the heel bone, formed at the back of the heel or the sole.
• Achilles tendinitis – it’s the inflammation of the band of tissue behind the ankles which attaches at the back of the heel, hence this is the area where pain is felt. These might be severe pain on pressing the tendon.
• Retrocalcaneal bursitis – this is the inflammation of the soft cushioning tissue at the sides of the insertion of Achilles tendon behind the heel. This is mostly associated with calcaneal spurs.
• Neuromas – over growth of nerve tissues in the heel area.
• Plantar fasciitis – its the inflammation of the band of soft tissue that binds the heel with the ball of the foot, caused due to foot ware which do not support the arch of the foot or due to chronic irritation to the tissues caused as in the case of athletes.

This pain is felt under the heel especially after a period of rest eg: on rising from bed in the morning.

Common symptoms

• Pain
• Redness
• Heat

Management

Conservative/general management

• Ice packs
• Exercises
• Foot ware recommendations
• Taping and strapping the foot to provide immobility and rest to the stressed tissues
• Ultrasounds

Homoeopathic therapeutic management

Homoeopathic medicines are selected depending on the causes and symptoms and the individuals health status.

Depending on the chronicity and ailments the recovery period ranges from a month to two with optimum rest to the strained tissues..

Some of the commonly indicated medicines are ammonium carb, ammonium mur, carb animalis, chelidonium, calcareas, ferrum, petr, pulsatilla, rhododendron, valeriana, zincum.

Preventive care

A little conscious effort can prevent the condition from arising.

• Use of foot ware which supports well the arch of the foot, well fitted, with supportive heel counters, rigid uppers, shock absorbent soles, avoid excessive wear on heels and soles.
• Exercise care in the way of warm ups before running and other athletic activities, and stretching at the end of it.
• Non weight bearing activities like swimming or cycling in obese persons.

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