Etiology	Clinical features	Initial treatment
Plantar
Plantar fasciitis/fasciosis	Pain with first steps after prolonged rest	Relative rest
	Tenderness on medial calcaneal tuberosity and along plantar fascia	Activity modification
		Stretching/strengthening exercises
		Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Ice massage
		Arch support
Heel spurs	Radiographic findings at site of pain	Decrease pressure to affected area
Calcaneal stress fracture	Follows increase in activity level or change to harder walking surfaces	Activity modification with occasional non–weight-bearing activity
	Pain with activity progressively worsens to pain at rest	Heel pads or walking boots
	Diagnosed with imaging
Nerve entrapment (medial or lateral plantar nerve, nerve to abductor digiti minimi)	Sensations of burning, tingling, or numbness	Decrease pressure to affected area
	Occasionally preceded by increased activity or trauma	Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Ice
		Stretching exercises
Neuroma	Sensations of burning or tingling	Decrease pressure to affected area
	Painful lump with palpation
Heel pad syndrome	Deep, bruise-like pain and tenderness at middle of heel	Decrease pressure to affected area
		Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Heel cups
		Taping
		Proper footwear
Posterior
Achilles tendinopathy	Achy, occasionally sharp pain	Activity modification
	Worsens with increased activity or pressure to area	Decrease pressure to affected area
	Tenderness along tendon	Heel lifts/orthotics
	Occasional palpable prominence from tendon thickening	Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
	Worsens with passive dorsiflexion	Deep friction massage
		Tendon mobilization
		Eccentric exercises
Haglund deformity	Pain at the superior aspect of the posterior calcaneus	Decrease pressure to affected area
	Radiographic diagnosis	Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
Retrocalcaneal bursitis	Pain, erythema, and swelling around Achilles tendon	Decrease pressure to affected area
	Tenderness on direct palpation	Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Corticosteroid injections (preferably ultrasound guided)
Sever disease (calcaneal apophysitis)	Pain in adolescents that worsens with increased activity or during growth spurt	Activity modification
	Tenderness at Achilles insertion	Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
	Pain with passive dorsiflexion and mediolateral calcaneal compression	Ice
		Stretching/strengthening exercises
		Orthotics/shoe modifications
Midfoot (medial)
Posterior tibialis tendinopathy	Tenderness at navicular and medial cuneiform	Activity modification
		Decrease pressure to affected area
		Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Eccentric exercises
Flexor digitorum longus tendinopathy	Tenderness posterior to medial malleolus and obliquely across sole of foot to base of distal phalanges of lateral toes	Activity modification
		Decrease pressure to affected area
		Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Eccentric exercises
Flexor hallucis longus tendinopathy	Tenderness posterior to medial malleolus and on plantar surface of great toe	Activity modification
		Decrease pressure to affected area
		Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Eccentric exercises
Tarsal tunnel syndrome	Burning, tingling, or shooting pain and numbness in posteromedial ankle and heel (may extend into toes) that worsens with standing and activity	Activity modification
	Positive Tinel sign	Orthotics
	Muscle atrophy in severe cases	Neuromodulatory/anti-inflammatory medication
		Corticosteroid injections
Midfoot (lateral)
Peroneal tendinopathy	Tenderness in lateral calcaneus along path to base of fifth metatarsal	Activity modification
		Decrease pressure to affected area
		Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
		Eccentric exercises
Sinus tarsi syndrome	Pain in lateral calcaneus and ankle	Orthotics
	Feeling of foot/ankle instability	Ice massage
	Worse after exercise or on uneven surfaces	Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication
	May have history of repeated ankle sprains	Physical therapy (balance/proprioception, strengthening exercises)
		Corticosteroid injections