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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.
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Start Here
- Heel Pain(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
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Overviews
- Heel Pain(American Podiatric Medical Association)
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Latest News
- Health Tip: Do You Have Plantar Fasciitis?(08/31/2012, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Bone X-Ray (Radiography)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Foot Problems(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Treatment
- Orthotic Devices(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Shoe Inserts and Prescription Custom Orthotics(American Podiatric Medical Association)
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Specific Conditions
- Achilles Tendinitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Calcaneus (Heel Bone) Fractures(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Cracked Heels(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
- Also available in Spanish
- Haglund's Deformity(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
- Also available in Spanish
- Heel Spurs: Do They Always Cause Pain?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Inferior Calcaneal Bursitis(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Medial Plantar Nerve Entrapment(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Plantar Fasciitis(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Health Check Tools
- Heel Pain(DSHI Systems)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Fasciitis, Plantar(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Heel(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Achilles Tendon Injuries(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Fasciitis, Plantar
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Glossary of Foot and Ankle Terms(American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society)
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Directories
- Find an ACFAS Physician(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
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Organizations
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Statistics
- Tight Shoes and Foot Problems(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Children
- Don't Ignore Your Kid's Heel Pain(American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
- Sever's Disease(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Teenagers
- Points about Shoes(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
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Patient Handouts
- Achilles tendinitis
- Also available in Spanish
- Achilles tendon rupture - aftercare
- Also available in Spanish
- Heel pain
- Also available in Spanish
- Plantar fasciitis
- Also available in Spanish
- Retrocalcaneal bursitis
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
