The pain is usually worse when you first stand up. After standing for a while, the pain may become more like a dull ache.

Plantar heel pain causes soreness and tenderness only on the heel of your foot.¹ You don't feel a pain on the back of your heel with this sort of heel pain. The pain often spreads from the center of your heel and continues along the rubber band like tissue (the plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of your foot. The inside of the arch of your foot may ache.

Your heel pain may just be an irritation that you notice when you first get up. Or the pain can be severe enough to stop you doing the things you normally would.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.