Pain at the Back of the Heel? Ten of the Most Common Causes and What to do About It

Pain at the back of the heel can take on many forms: It can be a sharp pain, a stinging pain, or a burning sensation. It can come on suddenly or gradually. In this video, sports physio Maryke discusses ten of the most common causes of pain at the back of the heel, how to distinguish between them, and what you can do to make it better.

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📽️ Videos with more detail on the stuff we mention in this video:

And here's that research article about fascia cruris tears: Webborn, N., et al. (2015). "Acute tear of the fascia cruris at the attachment to the Achilles tendon: a new diagnosis." British Journal of Sports Medicine 49(21): 1398-1403.

📚Chapters in this video:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:09 Achilles tendonitis
00:02:52 Achilles tears or ruptures
00:05:46 Heel bursitis
00:08:28 Fascia cruris
00:10:28 Posterior ankle impingement
00:12:49 Local nerve irritation
00:15:26 Nerve pain from lower back
00:17:55 Peroneal tendon
00:19:33 Plantaris tendon
00:21:33 Posterior tibialis tendon
00:23:35 Flexor hallucis longus tendon
00:25:31 How we can help

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[anassorbestiak]

WOW never heard of the sural nerve before, yet that perfectly describes where I have pain. doctors keep telling me "there is nothing there"

[IamVel]

Mine injury is described at 9:19 and it was absolutely impossible to get diagnosis in Finland! I spend a lot of time looking into problem and possible cures myself. You are one of the rarest finds that could bring a light on this issue and help me. Thank you a lot for your videos! I am 5 months in a gradual recovery, and hoping to get rid of this problem completely, hopefully soon.

[onamushasamurai]

Special kudos for stellar organization. The table of contents and the links to the related videos really helped me navigate to the appropriate info. Thanks!

[seagreenyweeny]

Your videos are fantastic. Thank you so much.

[corioberhansli]

Yes stinging pain in heel for months tight calves..thankyou for your video

[DroneLife]

your voice and pronunciation is amazing

[tongatongotongo]

Thank you this will help me .much appreciated

[julioalfonsocastillocruz]

I took me so many videos and web browsing to find your video and find out that I have a fascia cruris injury, likely due to climbing!
The closest info I could find before it was about heel bursitis, this is great information! Thank you!!!

[misomoni]

Thankful to have found your helpful video. Experienced sharp pain in my heel pad/back of my heel today, suddenly. Only when barefoot. Hoping I'm experiencing minor bursitis 🤞

[OFFICIALRover]

I twisted my ankle pretty bad and I feel a pain near my heal, I was able to run okay but I feel some pain when I do explosive movements

[emirxxx]

amazing content, thank you very much for these helpful infos !

[WyleneBoggs]

Great information . I think I have bursitis around the heel, caused from new tennis shoes. It has been a week of pain in my heel but has been building. Will get different shoes.

[werewolfie]

This help I'm going in out of a cargo van 4 days a weeks and my pain start suddenly in my heel pain in side of the heel and Achilles tendon attaches to the heel and sense I run a lot during work it hurts over time and get more painful and sadly I've stepped on my foot the wrong way and it became super unbearable to point it hurt to put pressure on my foot Ive been icing it and relax but it's only it my right foot

[Bettie_Noir]

Thank you for this! I tried to book a consultation but I could find no availability through next year. Is that true? 😢

[planetbryan]

My heel pain came after playing 4 games of softball in a less than 6 hours. I have been walking in barefoot shoes for a while ad figured running in them should be fine also. I have really strong legs and huge well defined calves. I turned 50 this year and haven’t ran, let alone sprinted since high school days. I know I over did it that day. The tendons in my thighs are still tight now 3 weeks later, and since I can’t take days off work I still experience heel pain. It gets slightly better each day. I do try to take it easy on days that I can, but life must go on. 😅

[taydencornish]

heloo from aus, im currently dealing with outer heel pain that ive been trying to fix for 5 years, many podiatrists, dr's, physio's, a spine specialist, soft tissue expert have been seen and nobody has any idea. both heels, on the edge burn after prolonged standing, its getting worse so i cant stand for much longer then half hour to an hour usually, no protaned or supernated feet, running or walking generally doesnt hurt, only standing still, no nerve issues, my pelvis is anteriorally tilted and used to suffer back issues but thats all sorted now as my hip flexors were tight but foot pain is getting worse. standing in a hot shower is something that seems to allow me to stand longer, ive watched endless videos on heel pain and nothing matches up, its not a plantar issue and theres no pain anywhere else, just the corners of my heels and can somewhat radiate toward the arch, but mostly the heel. please please help if you can, ive got no idea what to do from here.

[TreatMyAchilles]

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[mikethegamer]

Hey, so I haven't had money to get a session with you guys, but my foot bursitis calmed down. Thanks for your video. I have one other question if once I start increasing load exercises, can it go away permanently. I'm still scared to do anything right now besides basic mobility training so it doesn't get stiff. There aren't enough videos, and the paper reviewed paper I tried to read costs 20-40$. Thank you again. Im just discouraged if I will be ever able to do high impact things again even if I get the muscles and tendons around my foot stronger. I will soon be seeing a sports physical therapist soon just got my insurance card.

[tongatongotongo]

I do alot of walking and standing at my job carting heavy objects back and forth .the next day theres pain on the back of my heel .swelling also

[adamglover]

Got feeling of tearing on back side of heel if I make foot stretch certain way it with feel like it wants to tear bad