Bruised heel

A bruised heel is a bruise located on the heel of one or both feet. A bruised heel occurs acutely (all at once) or chronically over a more extended period (overuse). Acute or sudden injury area causes by falling or jumping from a height and landing on the feet. Overuse injuries acquire in runners or individuals who walk a lot such as military personal marching long distances.

Causes

A bruised heel will occur acutely from too much direct pressure applied to the heel or repetitive overuse. Sports that involve jumping, bounding or running large distances are more likely to cause a bruised heel. Not all bruised heels are sports-related. In situations where someone jumps from a height and lands on the feet or wears incorrect footwear over a long time can develop a bruised heel.

Symptoms

The most common symptom is pain on the heel bone. The pain may come on suddenly or increase over time.

Treatment

If a bruised heel is due to a one-off activity such as a fall from a height, adequate treatments are needed to let the bruise heel. Treatment may include wearing a boot or changing footwear. Activity modification will also be required, such as reducing daily walking to a tolerated level. If the injury is occurring from overtraining, training loads and volume will need to be reduced or modified. Like all injuries, specific recommendations are based on your individual circumstances and injury. Please see one of our Balmain sports chiropractors to be individualised advice.