Bruised Heel / Heel Pain

What is a bruised heel? The heel bone (calcaneus) is protected by a pad of fat. Repeated pounding of the heel can cause the fat pad to be pushed up the side of the heel leaving less of a protective layer causing heel pain. What can the athlete do about it? Rest until there is no pain. Pad the heel of shoes with a shock absorbing insole. Replace running shoes if they are old (more than 400 miles of running) or the soles are weakened through use. What a Sports Injury Specialist could do? Confirm the diagnosis. Advise on shoe inserts. How long will it take to heal? If you catch this injury early and rest then it should recover quite quickly - within a few days. If you ignore the warning signs (heel pain) and the fat pad gets damaged beyond easy repair then this is a very difficult injury to treat. Rest means rest. There is no point you stopping running for a week if you put up scaffolding for a living and are on your feet every day. If you have to be on your feet then ensure you put a shock absorbing and cushioning heel insert into your shoes.   The information contained on this site is purely a source of information and can at no time replace the expert eye of a qualified professional. We recommend seeking professional advice before embarking on any form of self treatment. Neither the content or nor any other service provided through mybesttennis.com is intended to be relied on for medical diagnosis or treatment. Never delay in seeking professional advice because of something seen on mybesttennis.com.