Heel Pain

Common causes of heel pain

Heel pain can be caused by things like exercising too much, standing on hard surfaces for too long, or being overweight.

Do not try to diagnose the cause of the pain yourself.

Important

If you think you might have broken your heel bone, do not try to treat it yourself. Contact NHS 111 to find out what to do.

How to ease heel pain yourself

If you see a GP about heel pain, they'll usually suggest you try these things:

Do

rest and raise your heel when you can
put an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas) in a towel on your heel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
wear wide comfortable shoes with a low heel and soft sole
use soft insoles or heel pads in your shoes
wrap a bandage around your heel and ankle to support it
try regular gentle stretching exercises
use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen gel (or ibuprofen tablets if needed)
try to lose weight if you are overweight

Don't

do not walk or stand for long periods, especially barefoot
do not wear high heels or tight pointy shoes

A pharmacist can help with heel pain

You can ask a pharmacist about:

the best painkiller to take for your heel pain
insoles and pads for your shoes
treatments for common skin problems that can affect the heel
if you need to see a GP

Find a pharmacy

See exercise video safety information

The exercises in this series of videos are suitable for most people in good health with a reasonable level of fitness.

Unless stated otherwise, they are general exercises only and are not aimed at treating any specific cause of pain or condition. Video titles and descriptions can give more information on how difficult the exercises are and who they are for.

Get advice from a healthcare professional (such as a GP) before trying them if:

you are not sure if the exercises are suitable for your current level of fitness
you have a health problem, an injury, any symptoms, are feeling unwell, or you have had a recent health event such as a heart attack or operation
you have any other concerns about your health
you are pregnant or have recently given birth

Stop the exercise immediately if you feel any pain or become unwell. If you are concerned about any symptoms, or they do not go away, get help from 111 online or call 111 for advice.

See a GP if:

heel pain is severe or stopping you doing normal activities
the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
you have any tingling or loss of sensation in your foot
you have diabetes and have heel pain - foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

Refer yourself for back or joint help

In many areas you may be able to get help, such as physiotherapy, from NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services without needing a referral from a GP.

Get NHS help for back or joint problems

Contact NHS 111 if you:

have severe heel pain after an injury
feel faint, dizzy or sick from the pain
have an ankle or foot that has changed shape or is at an odd angle
heard a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of injury
are not able to walk
are not able to walk on your tiptoes
are not able to walk up the stairs
have swelling and bruising in your calf and ankle

These might be signs of a broken heel bone or broken ankle.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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