Seniors can fight foot pain - Aging - bunion, heel bone care - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Feb, 2002

Senior citizens with foot pain can do something about it. Instead of abiding by the faulty, but commonly accepted, notion that muscle and joint discomfort is a natural consequence of aging, they could seek treatment, rather than needlessly endure pain that will deprive them of an active lifestyle, according to a spokesperson for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

"Unfortunately, many seniors believe it's normal to have pain as you get older, but nothing could be further from the truth," indicates Kimberly Eickmeier, a podiatric surgeon at the Christie Clinic in Champaign, III. "As a result, they usually don't seek treatment for painful abnormalities, such as bunions, which are caused by genetic defects--not old age--and can be corrected with surgery and a short recovery period."

She points out that seniors who are avid walkers frequently have heel pain, especially if they have been relatively inactive during the winter months. For those experiencing this problem, Eickmeier advises that taking ibuprofen or aspirin and doing daily stretching exercises usually provide some relief. If heel pain persists more than two weeks, she recommends a consultation with a foot and ankle surgeon for definitive diagnosis and treatment.

Chronic heel pain originates deep within the foot, directly on the heel, or within the bone's connective tissues, called the fascia. Pain can result when fascia become irritated or inflamed or when small spurs grow on the heel bone. In the large majority of cases, persistent heel pain can be treated successfully with orthotics, she says. "Orthotics provide a cushion and support that help reduce inflammation and stress in the heel area." In situations when conservative treatment fails, outpatient surgical procedures usually prove to be effective. "Surgery for heel pain doesn't require a long recovery period and it permanently relieves the source of pressure on the heel bone."