Heel pain in the older patient

Older Americans are the fastest growing segment of the US population. For this group, mobility is a significant factor in individual well-being. Heel pain is primarily a symptom found in adults, and like most health problems, increased age has a compounding effect on most disease processes. If heel pain becomes the cause of immobility in an older patient, significant consequences may arise. The true prevalence of heel pain in older individuals is not known precisely. The frequency may lie between 12.5% and 15% on the basis of reports in the literature. The scientific basis of these figures, however, is open to question. No one method of organizing heel pain according to a causative agent or condition is accepted universally. A review of the literature, however, reveals that most reporters ultimately include the same elements in whatever schema they use. In general terms, management of heel pain, regardless of the cause, can be organized according to noninvasive to invasive treatment methods. The authors have found the categories of mechanical, pharmacologic, and surgical to be useful. Selection of a therapeutic method is based on the patient's specific physical circumstance and social situation.