I have heel pain after major foot surgery. Is this normal?

 

Yes! Heel pain is a common complaint 6-12 weeks after major foot surgery. The pain is usually self-limiting. There can be a couple causes, but the most common is that the heel gets irritated when a person starts to really increase their walking and general weight-bearing after being off their foot for an extended period of time recovering form the foot surgery. The heel has gotten used to not doing much over the past few months (it atrophies a bit) and does not like being walked on. It let’s you know that it is angry with this increased workload with pain and irritation. The solution in this instance is to tough it out and realize that it will get better in 3-6 weeks – once the heel tissue toughens up a bit.

The other potential cause is pain from the screw head. If this is the case it can be padded (heel gel pad from a local pharmacy) but ultimately will need screw removal once the bone has healed.

 

 

mf/ 10.15.18