Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Heel Injuries and Disorders
Heel problems are common and can be painful. Often, they result from too much stress on your heel bone and the tissues that surround it. That stress can come from:
- Injuries
- Bruises that you get walking, running or jumping
- Wearing shoes that don't fit or aren't made well
- Being overweight
These can lead to tendinitis, bursitis, and fasciitis, which are all types of inflammation of the tissues that surround your heel. Over time the stress can cause bone spurs and deformities. Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout, can also lead to heel problems. Treatments for heel problems might include rest, medicines, exercises, taping, and special shoes. Surgery is rarely needed.
It sits within Bones, Joints and Muscles and Injuries and Wounds.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Heel Injuries and Disorders
15 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- The Effects of AFO Heel Height and Stiffness on GaitUniversity of Iowa
Research already completed
- Evaluation of Two Heel Protection Devices to Assess Off-loading Via Pressure Mapping.Medline Industries
- Feasibility of Specific Anesthesia of the Forefoot Preserving the Sensitivity of the Heel for Foot SurgeryCMC Ambroise Paré
- Observational Study - Heel Syndrome and Relationship to Flexor Retinacular Ligament ThicknessGCS Ramsay Santé pour l'Enseignement et la Recherche
- Effects of Vibration, Heel Warming and Shotblocker on Pain Levels During Heel Blood CollectionBurdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
- Effects of Three Different Methods in Reducing Pain During Heel Blood CollectionBurdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
- The Effectiveness of Two Different Methods Applied During Heel Blood Collection on Pain Level of Healthy Term NewbornsIstanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Heel PainAmerican Podiatric Medical Association
Diagnosis and Tests
- Bone X-RayRadiological Society of North America
- Foot ProblemsAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
- Search the Foot and Ankle Conditions (Interactive Foot Diagram)American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Treatments and Therapies
- BrisementAmerican Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
- Percutaneous Achilles Tendon LengtheningAmerican Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
- Prescription Custom Orthotics and Shoe InsertsAmerican Podiatric Medical Association
Living With
- Foot and Ankle Conditioning ProgramAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Related Issues
- Bone HealingAmerican College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Achilles Tendon InjuriesNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Fasciitis, PlantarNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Heel InjuriesNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Heel. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Heel Injuries and Disorders, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.