What Causes Shooting Pain in the Heel of Your Foot?
Posted on Dec 28, 2017

Shooting pain in the heel of your foot can cause debilitating pain and ruin your day. Taking one step leaves you not wanting to take the next one. Heel pain is felt throughout the population regardless of age and gender. Our feet are often the most underappreciated parts of our body even though they bear the full brunt of our bodies every day. Here are few common causes that could be contributing to the shooting pain you feel in your heel.

 

Arthritis

Foot and heel arthritis cause excess fluids and inflammation in the joints and cartilage in and around the heel. Foot arthritis can be present for a variety of reasons ranging from hereditary to injury. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common varieties to affect the foot and heel to cause shooting pain.

 

Stress Fractures

That shooting pain in the heel of your foot could be the result of small stress fractures on your heel bone. Stress fractures are caused by increasing weight loads and activity too quickly or by repetitive impacts common in athletic sports that range from basketball to gymnastics.

 

Heel Spur

Heel spurs are bony growths that occur on the heel of your foot commonly under the sole of your foot. It can also appear on the back of the heel and under the back of the heel. Typically associated with ongoing inflammation or other medical conditions, heel spurs are on of the most common causes of shooting pain in the heel.

 

Plantar Fasciitis

One of the most common heel pain causes is plantar fasciitis which occurs when the plantar fascia is over-stretched or poorly supported. The plantar fascia runs from the ball to the heel of your foot acting as a shock absorber while supporting the arch of your foot. Plantar fasciitis pain in centralized at the bottom of your heel and is often a chronic pain that can be hard to combat.   If you have persistent heel pain, you should consult a podiatrist or orthopedic professional to determine the cause of your pain and options for treatment and recovery. You may never be able to overcome the pain without a professional diagnosis.