What is Heel and Calf pain?

Every mile you walk puts 60 tons of stress on each foot. Your feet and legs can handle a heavy load, but too much stress pushes them over their limits. When you pound your feet on hard surfaces playing sports or wear shoes that irritate sensitive tissues, you may develop heel pain or calf pain, the most common problem affecting the foot and ankle.

A sore heel or calf will usually get better on its own without surgery if you give it enough rest. However, many people try to ignore the early signs of pain and keep on doing the activities that caused it. When you continue to use a sore heel or calf, it will only get worse and could become a chronic condition leading to more problems. Surgery is rarely necessary.

Before you see a physician

Questions to consider before seeing a physician include

• When did the pain start?
• Where exactly is the pain? Does it occur in one foot or in both feet?
• When does the pain occur? Is it continuous, or does it come and go?
• Is the pain worse in the morning or at night? Does it get worse when walking or running?
• Have you had an injury to your foot or ankle in the past?

Common causes of heel and calf pain we treat

If the pain in your heel or calf is impacting your ability to walk or exercise normally you should see a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon  to go over potential diagnosis and treatment options.

Treatment options largely depend on the cause of the heel pain.

Potential causes for heel pain include:

• Stone bruise. When you step on a hard object such as a rock or stone, you can bruise the fat pad on the underside of your heel. It may or may not look discolored. The pain goes away gradually with rest.
• Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed (sub calcaneal pain). Learn more about Plantar Fasciitis.
• Achilles tendinitis or rupture Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of Achilles tendon, which connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. A ruptured Achilles is a tear in that tendon which causes the tendons normal function to be impaired. Learn more about Achilles tendinitis.
• Calcaneus fracture A fracture of the calcaneus, or heel bone, can be a painful and disabling injury. This type of fracture commonly occurs during a high-energy event—such as a car crash or a fall from a ladder—when the heel is crushed under the weight of the body. Learn more about Calcaneus Fractures.
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a compression, or squeezing, on the posterior tibial nerve that produces symptoms anywhere along the path of the nerve running from the inside of the ankle into the foot. Learn more about Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome.

Treatment options largely depend on the cause of the calf pain.

Potential causes for calf pain include:

• Achilles tendinitis or rupture Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of Achilles tendon, which connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. A ruptured Achilles is a tear in that tendon which causes the tendons normal function to be impaired. Learn more about Achilles tendinitis.
• Muscle contusions are usually minor and heal quickly with rest and ice, without taking the athlete away from the game. Severe contusions, however, can cause deep tissue damage and lead to complications that may prevent an athlete from being able to play sports for months.
• Muscle strain A muscle strain (muscle pull or tear) is a common injury, particularly among people who participate in sports. Muscle strains usually happen when a muscle is stretched beyond its limit, tearing the muscle fibers. This injury frequently occurs near the point where the muscle joins the tough, fibrous connective tissue of the tendon. For minor strains the I.C.E. method should be effective after a short period of time

The R.I.C.E method

• Rest. Avoid activities that put weight on the injured foot or leg
• Ice. Apply ice immediately after the injury to keep the swelling down. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly on the skin.
• Compression. To prevent additional swelling, lightly wrap the area in a soft bandage or wear compression shorts
• Elevation. As often as possible, rest with your leg raised up higher than your heart.

Prevention methods and other tips

When playing sports and exercising heel and calf pain are very common and usually very minor. However, there are some prevention methods to help protect yourself.

• Stretching- stretching your calves regularly before and after workouts can help protect you from injuries such as Achilles Tendinitis
• Rest- many injuries are due to over use so it’s very important that you take proper rest periods between workouts. Especially if you are experiencing pain from and activity.
• Proper equipment – Ensuring you are wearing proper equipment and equipment that is not worn out can protect you from injury.
• Changing activities- If you regularly do high-impact exercises (such as running), switching to low-impact activities can put less stress on your calves and heels. Cross-training activities to mix in such as biking, elliptical exercise, and swimming are low-impact options to help you stay active.