A leading cause of Heel pain comes from inflamed soft tissue and not typically not heel spurs.  Heel Spurs can be small or medium bony bumps that can form on the underside of your heel bone.  Heel spurs are the result of calcium deposits that cause bony protrusions on the underside of the heel.  Heel spurs are usually painless, but they have the potential to cause heel pain. Many times they can be painless and most individuals live with them and don't know they even have them.  Pain comes when the tissue around the heel swells and becomes inflamed.  Pain typically worsens with increased activity.  Dr. Kyle Hopkins has found that heel spurs are usually associated with plantar fasciitis, which is a condition that causes inflammation of the band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot.  They most often occur to athletes whose sports involve a lot of running and jumping.  Unfortunately, it is common for those who are overweight and trying to exercise to feel Heel pain.  Some risk factors for developing heel spurs include running and jogging on hard surfaces, being obese, wearing poorly fitting shoes, or having walking gait abnormalities.  In terms of diagnosis, AVORS Medical Group will most likely order an X-ray to confirm the presence of a heel spur. 

There are several things that you can do at home to immediately address heel pain. 

1. Rest your injured foot so that it can heal. Keep weight and pressure off the affected foot if possible.
2. Apply ice to the injury to reduce swelling or apply ice every day at the end of the day for 20 minutes.
3. Stretch your legs and feet before getting out of bed to loosen the muscles and tendons in your feet. 
4. Wear properly fitting shoes or orthotic inserts can also help to cushion and support your feet.
5. Many will take an over-the-counter medications to reduce pain.