Heel pain

Things you can do to ease heel pain include resting and raising your heel when you can, wearing comfortable shoes and doing regular gentle stretches.

Common causes of heel pain include exercising too much, wearing tight shoes and conditions like plantar fasciitis.

Heel pain can be caused by things like exercising too much, standing on hard surfaces for too long, or being overweight.

Do not try to diagnose the cause of the pain yourself.

If you think you might have broken your heel bone, do not try to treat it yourself. Contact NHS 111 to find out what to do.

If you see a GP about heel pain, they'll usually suggest you try these things:

• rest and raise your heel when you can

• put an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas) in a towel on your heel for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours

• wear wide comfortable shoes with a low heel and soft sole

• use soft insoles or heel pads in your shoes

• wrap a bandage around your heel and ankle to support it

• try regular gentle stretching exercises

• use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen gel (or ibuprofen tablets if needed)

• try to lose weight if you are overweight

• do not walk or stand for long periods, especially barefoot

• do not wear high heels or tight pointy shoes

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• the best painkiller to take for your heel pain
• insoles and pads for your shoes
• treatments for common skin problems that can affect the heel
• if you need to see a GP

• heel pain is severe or stopping you doing normal activities
• the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
• the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
• you have any tingling or loss of sensation in your foot
• you have diabetes and have heel pain – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

Refer yourself for back or joint help

In many areas you may be able to get help, such as physiotherapy, from NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services without needing a referral from a GP.

Get NHS help for back or joint problems