Psychological causes of heel pain

How common is heel pain?

Heel pain is one of the main reasons why patients complain to an orthopedic traumatologist. This state of affairs is caused by the high prevalence of diseases causing symptoms and the multifactorial nature of the causes.

Heel pain affects overweight people, athletes, representatives of many professions who, due to the nature of their work, are forced to spend 8-12 hours on their feet (hairdressers, turners, loaders, salesmen, teachers, etc.).

Prevalence by gender is related to the cause of the underlying disease. For example, gouty heel pain occurs mainly in men after 35. Crystalline arthritis, caused by endocrine and metabolic disorders, occurs in representatives of both sexes, mainly in the elderly. Also, those suffering from diabetes and obesity automatically fall into the risk group, regardless of gender and age.

Recommendations from psychologists

To get rid of spurs, psychologists recommend doing character correction. You need to cultivate kindness and tolerance, pacify your demands towards other people.

What else needs to be done:

• stop asserting yourself at the expense of others, find socially acceptable ways of self-affirmation and self-realization;
• get rid of perfectionism and pathological desire for victories;
• eliminate unnecessary moralism;
• think about personal needs, but avoid excessive selfishness;
• review your work schedule, avoid workaholism;
• overcome dependence on other people's opinions;
• overcome internal complexes and resolve internal conflicts;
• reconsider plans and goals for the future, values, guidelines, way of life;
• develop positive thinking.

And of course, you need to change your activity. It is necessary to exercise regularly, drink a lot of water (the norm is calculated individually) and monitor your diet. All this will speed up and restore metabolic processes, salts will stop being deposited and will begin to dissolve and be eliminated.

This is interesting! The expression that character cannot be changed is a myth. This is what weak-willed people say who don’t want to change. Yes, it is difficult, but you can change your character. But temperament cannot be changed; a person is born with it.

Psychosomatics of heel spurs and calluses according to Louise Hay

According to Louise Hay, spurs and calluses are the result of old grievances. It is also a sign of outdated and fossilized views, beliefs, fears, and ideas. To heal, a person needs to become open to new things, reconsider their views on life and find new goals. It is necessary to let go of old grievances and negative emotions, gain freedom and start a new life.

Liz Burbo psychosomatics of a sore heel

Liz Burbo lists the causes of heel pain as a person's inability or unwillingness to move forward towards their goals. This is caused by the fact that he does not feel support and support. And to be active, such a person needs someone’s approval, consent, permission. Perhaps a person cannot admit to himself, but he wants someone to “step on his heels”, breathe in his back, be nearby. Without approval and support, he feels guilty and doubts his worth.

Problem solution: you need to learn to rely only on yourself, make decisions and move forward. You need to stop looking for love and approval externally. It's already inside you. Each person is unique, and no one is obliged to share the opinion of another. But each person must follow his convictions, satisfy his desires, without fear of being reprimanded.

V. Sinelnikov

According to Sinelnikov's theory, heel pain is a reflection of fear or reluctance to move forward. Which, in turn, can be caused by a lack of meaning and purpose in life, uncertainty about the correctness of the chosen path.

Zhikarentsev

In Zhikarentsev’s theory, legs indicate a person’s understanding of himself. Any problems with the legs symbolize the fear of being rejected, misunderstood, and unaccepted. Discomfort in the lower legs indicates fear of the future.

The psychosomatist recommends dealing with the problem with the help of af.

What diseases can cause heel pain?

Heel pain can be caused by many different external and internal factors. For example, most overweight people are familiar with this symptom due to heavy workload; it is often encountered by those who spend a lot of time on their feet and wear uncomfortable shoes.

Also, heel pain can be a symptom of the following inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system and ligaments:

1. Plantar (plantar) fasciitis is a heel spur familiar to many. It occurs due to inflammatory and degenerative pathological changes in the tendons in the area of ​​the heel tubercle. Under increased loads, the aponeneurosis becomes inflamed, causing severe pain when walking.
2. Achilles (ankle tendinitis) is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon. It can be caused by flat feet, anatomically irregular shape (curvature, deformation) of the ankle, traumatic injuries, prolonged compression by shoes (especially when climbing a mountain). It manifests itself as tissue hyperemia, sharp, often unbearable pain.
3. Achilles bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa or synovial bursa in the area of ​​the Achilles tendon. It can develop against the background of infectious diseases spreading hematogenously, against the background of arthritis and arthrosis of the foot, systemic diseases of connective tissues and joints, after injuries.
4. Gout is the deposition of uric acid salts due to impaired purine metabolism. Primary or secondary rheumatic disease. It often provokes arthritis, which also manifests itself in the talocalcaneal joint.
5. Arthritis of the heel joint - rheumatoid or reactive monoarthritis, polyarthritis, periarthritis. Among the causes of monoarticular lesions of the heel are injuries and some forms of arthropathy, for example, it often appears with chondrocalcinosis. Periatritis of soft periarticular tissues has a rheumatic etiology; the process can be localized in the joint capsule, fascia, tendons and their membranes, entheses of the heel joint, causing severe pain in the heel.

Who's at risk

The psychosomatic prerequisites for the appearance of spurs are noticeable since childhood. Potential patients are endowed with similar personality traits and upbringing conditions:

• prohibition on expressing anxiety and aggression;
• prohibition on expressing emotions;
• total control by parents.

All of the above gradually leads to dissatisfaction with life and hostility towards the whole world. Hence the demandingness and rigidity in relationships with other people, the lack of self-confidence.

What else precedes the psychosomatics of a heel spur:

• a ban on manifestations of weakness, the belief “I must (should) be strong”;
• inferiority complex, conviction of one’s own imperfection (compensated by overprotection and suffocating care in relationships);
• hyper-responsibility and increased conscientiousness;
• tendency to take on too many responsibilities;
• inability to perform rash and spontaneous actions.

As in life, in psychosomatics the heel represents support. Spurs on the heels signal a person’s lack of flexibility in the sphere of social relations and strategic decisions. However, there are some psychological differences between the appearance of spurs on the left and on the right heel.

Left heel pain

The right hemisphere is responsible for the left side of the body. It is also responsible for creative thinking, intuition, emotions and feelings. It is believed that a person with a spur on the left heel is prone to tyranny in relationships with loved ones. He is cold and cruel, demanding in relations with his husband (wife), children, friends, parents and other relatives.

Right heel pain

The right heel is associated with the work of the left hemisphere. It is responsible for logic and rational thinking. It is believed that people with a spur on the right heel are tough in relationships with subordinates. They are demanding, prone to tyranny and despotism.

Why you shouldn't ignore heel pain

Heel pain can have different etiologies, but in most cases the result is inflammation of the soft tissues and cartilage of the joint. Due to the fact that the heel constantly experiences stress when walking, the symptom does not go away without adequate treatment. The disease progresses, causing severe pain, which often becomes unbearable when walking. Therefore, in most cases, medical or surgical treatment is required.

There is also the possibility of benign and malignant neoplasms, which can externally manifest themselves as monoarthritis and other diseases. Therefore, in case of any inflammatory process or pain in the heels, it is necessary to undergo an examination and find out the true cause.

Main psychosomatic causes of heel pain

From a philosophical point of view, legs represent support and movement. In this case, if a person has problems in a certain area of ​​the leg, this may indicate that he cannot move forward, is “treading water,” cannot find support, and is not confident in himself and his life decisions.

On the other hand, the psychosomatics of a heel spur often indicates that a person is too tough, irrationally stubborn and insists on his own wherever it is necessary and not necessary. He does not show flexibility and cannot adapt to changing circumstances. It is difficult for such people to admit that they are wrong; they continue to act in accordance with the decision they made, even if it is wrong.

Since the foot and the heel itself are the support of the human body, cracks in the heels and growths are a signal that a person is experiencing an imbalance in the basic mechanisms, and there is a disruption in the functioning of global processes. Either he is too insecure or overly self-confident. And both of these conditions bring harm not only to him, but also to those around him.

Free webinar

Psychomatics: how emotions trigger diseases

Teacher: Olga Butakova

More details

Most often, leg problems occur in people prone to tyranny. If the right heel hurts, this indicates that a disruption of processes occurs in the labor sphere. This conclusion is formed on the basis of the statement that the right side of the body is controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for rational thinking. Perhaps this person is too cruel to his subordinates, stubborn, does not recognize authorities and is not ready to make compromise decisions.

A lump on the left leg may be a sign that a person is being rude to the people he loves (the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and is responsible for feelings and creativity). He may have a protracted creative crisis, a reluctance to conform to the trends of the times, or to use modern trends in his activities. This condition is observed in older people who do not want to learn to use modern technologies. They have difficulties using smartphones, computers, ATMs, etc.

Which doctor should you contact if you have heel pain?

If you have heel pain, you should make an appointment with an orthopedic traumatologist. Depending on the symptoms and external manifestations, the doctor will prescribe diagnostic procedures for examination. You may need to undergo laboratory tests, do a CT scan, MRI, X-ray, ultrasound. After this, it will be possible to judge the localization and degree of development of the process that provoked the pain in the heels.

If this symptom appears, you should not warm the sore spot yourself, apply warming ointments to the heel, or make compresses. Any self-medication can aggravate the disease and cause complications.

Prevention of occurrence

Psychosomatic diseases are at the intersection of medicine and psychology. Accordingly, prevention and treatment must be comprehensive. It is necessary to undergo timely examinations by a doctor, avoid a passive lifestyle and internal disharmony. To relieve pain, taking medications is appropriate.

For prevention, it is useful to learn to relax. People with heel spurs are united by the inability to rest and fully relax. Emotional stress provokes muscle spasms. Spasm increases pain and stress on the joint.

It is important! When treating and preventing a disease, its specificity must be taken into account. People prone to spurs are stubborn. This means that working with them will be difficult.

Prevention of psychosomatic heel spurs

Treatment and prevention of psychosomatic diseases requires an integrated approach. If you have a heel spur, it is important to see your healthcare provider to identify the physical cause of the condition and correct it. If pain in the legs causes severe discomfort, then it is rational to use medications to relieve pain.

At the same time, it is also important to consult a psychological health specialist who will help you understand the emotional causes of the pathology. However, it should be borne in mind that heel spurs usually occur in people who are prone to stubbornness. Therefore, it is important that the patient himself wants to recover and follows the recommendations given to him by the specialist.

Among the general preventive measures that are effective in normalizing physical and emotional health are:

• Balanced diet. A diet containing all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body to function should include dishes made from lean meat, fatty sea fish, which are rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, fermented milk products, eggs, fruits and green vegetables.
• Regular exercise. During exercise, endorphins are released, which improve your mood.
• Yoga classes and meditation. These practices allow you to relax your body, focus on your internal energy and direct it in the necessary direction.

Foot diseases and psychological problems.

What are your feet saying? Our feet are our support. All the hardships of our earthly journey, all the vicissitudes of fate and the peculiarities of our character, are borne by the support - the foot. And therefore, by the condition and characteristic diseases of the feet, we can judge the state of affairs in our lives and inner world. This material presents the connections between various foot diseases and psycho-emotional problems, as well as recommendations for healing.

1. Unhealthy skin color on feet

Symptom: If your feet are very pale, it means you are tired and almost devoid of vitality. Recommendation: Don't ignore this! Be sure to provide yourself with rest, not only physical, but also mental. Be alone with yourself and nature. The feet themselves can be smeared with aromatic oil or cream, massaged, or pampered in any other way. Symptom: Red feet are a sign of your anger and irritation in some life situation. Thus, redness of the heels indicates social or family difficulties. Recommendation: Feet turn red if you hold back or accumulate negative emotions - for example, by brushing them off or forbidding yourself to get angry. However, an uncontrolled “explosion” will not help either. Analyze the situation, identify the cause of irritation and deal with it clearly and consciously. Symptom: Bluish skin color indicates that you are tired of life's hardships or mental pain, and are holding on with all your might. Recommendation: Get some rest now! And then think carefully about how to change the situation for the better. Perhaps you need to turn to someone for help, because this burden is becoming almost unbearable for you. Symptom: Yellowing of the skin of the feet means that a person has come to the end of some long-term life situation or relationship and is already tired of it. It also means a self-prohibition on the expression of some important feelings. Recommendation: Answer yourself honestly, what situations and relationships have not satisfied you for a long time, and what you can change in your behavior.

2. Flat feet

Flat feet are associated with a loss of trust in the world and “support” under your feet. The foot “flattens”, as if trying to increase this area of ​​support and give stability. It is natural for a baby to have flat feet, because he is completely dependent on his family and friends. An adult suffering from this foot disease constantly feels the instability of his position and the lack of support from significant people. This is especially noticeable in old age, when, losing health, family and friends, a person seems to lose a point of support. Recommendation: Physiologically, flat feet are corrected with orthopedic shoes and special exercises. Psychologically, it is important to stop falling into despair for any reason. Analyze the current situation and find resources and support in it. List point by point what and who exactly I can rely on in life. Don't hesitate to ask other people for help. You will definitely find support in life if you look for it. Find where you can rely on yourself, where you trust yourself. Take responsibility for your life. 3. Bones on the big toes Bones, like flat feet, are a sign of a feeling of insecurity and loss of support. Moreover, in a global sense: an emotionally unprotected person does not feel the support of the Universe and constantly fears for his safety. This could happen due to lack of love and attention in childhood. Such people are vulnerable and need love and care. At the same time, it can be difficult for them to open up and talk about their feelings. Recommendations: You need to recognize the current situation and the fact that you have been suppressing your best feelings all your life. Stop focusing on others and expecting something from them. You need to be filled with love and care for yourself; recognize your achievements and receive approval from yourself. Then you will see how your relationships with the people around you have changed. You should stop trying to prove everything to everyone in hopes of getting approval. Just accept yourself and be yourself.

IMPORTANT : admitting your vulnerability and emotional insecurity is not enough. The psyche is structured very conservatively, and in order to change habitual behavior, quite serious and responsible work with a psychologist is NECESSARY. How long will it take? Read here .

4. Arthritis At the psycho-emotional level, arthritis is a reflection of your habit of “enduring” all the hardships and adversities and unwillingness to change. All this, in turn, is connected with children's emotional problems - too harsh upbringing and lack of love and acceptance by parents. You are used to placing too high demands on yourself (and, accordingly, on others), controlling everything and being responsible for everyone. In fact, this causes a lot of resistance and pain, which manifests itself in the form of inflammation of the joints. Also, in order to remain “firm” enough, you need to restrain your emotions and live based on mental constructs and will. Recommendations: Answer yourself honestly, where in life do you ignore your needs and feelings? What changes scare you? Which makes it painful to control the course of events - which in itself is an unbearable burden. Learn to relax and let go of the situation. Yoga or meditation will help you with this. Focus on the best qualities of your inner world, the small joys of the present - this will help you let go of the painful past. 5. Fungal diseases of the feet A fungal infection is a parasite that lives in moist environments. On an energetic level, foot fungus shows you that there are people in your life who are draining your strength or manipulating your kindness. You are “being deceived by emotions” (moisture is a symbol of tears), they are using you for their own purposes, without having sincere feelings for you and without recognizing your merits. The accompanying peeling of the skin can indicate your helplessness, loss of energy - “you are as if naked” in this situation. Skin growths and thickening of nails signal your desire to protect yourself. If the fungus is localized under the fingers, this is a problem in relationships with those closest to you. Recommendations: If you want to get rid of fungal foot diseases once and for all, analyze your relationships with people and stop communicating with “energy vampires” (endless complainers, critics, brawlers). It is also important to stop caring about what others think of you. Stop pleasing everyone and seeking recognition from other people, proving your “goodness.” Accept your strengths and achievements yourself, learn to rely on yourself and independently promote your ideas. Find a supportive environment of like-minded people and interact with them for fun. 6. Warts Warts are a viral infection that causes unpleasant-looking, and sometimes painful, growths on the skin. Warts are associated with something disgusting, such as toads or old witches from fairy tales. This gives us a clue about the occurrence of warts - they appear when a person does not accept something about himself. This could be shame for one’s actions, rejection of love or sexuality, or low self-esteem of one’s personality. Recommendations: We advise you to honestly analyze what you reject in yourself. What do you consider your unworthy manifestations of character or flaws in appearance? Why are you ashamed of yourself or others? Try to correct these traits. Perhaps you need to work on your appearance or consult a psychologist for psycho-emotional processing of rejected feelings. Increase your acceptance and self-love or reach out to your loved ones for support.

7. Spurs on the heels Salt deposits on the soles occur when a person is inactive in life. They indicate that you are “rooted to the ground” and are not developing in some area that is important to you. Thus, the spurs on your heels encourage you to move forward towards your goal. Recommendations: Determine the source of the fear that slows you down and forces you to stand still. Decide what is more important to you - imaginary stability (since it doesn’t exist in the world in principle) or the desired self-realization - and act!

8. Dry calluses and rough skin Both of these symptoms are accompanied by loss of skin sensitivity. This indicates a desire to protect oneself from bullies or potentially dangerous environments. At the same time, the yellowish color of hardened skin indicates internal insecurity, and the reddish color indicates accumulated and restrained anger. Calluses on your fingers mean that you are hiding your thoughts and ideas from others, for fear of misunderstanding. On the heels are problems in the family (you do not consider your home a safe place). If the hardened skin also cracks, this means the limit. The situation is causing you pain that you can no longer tolerate. Recommendations: Listen to your inner voice. Be honest, what life problems or people do you “build up your shell” against? Try to change the situation or get out of it. When you create safe living conditions for yourself, a sign of improvement will be painless peeling of rough skin and softness of the feet.

9. Excessive Foot Sweating Sweat glands are regulated by your nervous system. Excessive sweat production, accordingly, indicates her emotional overstrain. This happens when you live in fear, or hold onto anger or sadness. Also, an unpleasant odor of sweat may indicate that you are in a sticky (“foul-smelling”) situation. Recommendations: We advise you to free yourself in time from pent-up feelings, especially anger. Accept yourself and the world as you are. Take the necessary steps to create a “safety cushion” for yourself, learn to protect yourself. At the same time, accept the fact that the world is sometimes unpredictable. But if you trust yourself, you can live without fear. 10. “Wet” calluses (blisters) If you often rub your feet to the point of water blisters, this is not only a sign of uncomfortable shoes. “Wet” calluses indicate your excessive emotional reaction in relationships with people and in overcoming obstacles. Emotions (and their archetype is water, moisture), sometimes “tearfulness” is your response to life’s friction, which is what calluses indicate. If you rub calluses in the same place, it means that there is a situation in your life that regularly catches you. For example, a blister on the heel is a concern about the “rear”, basic safety. It could be home, work or health. A chafed finger means you feel unrecognized in society or are being weighed down by other people’s opinions. Recommendations: Instead of wasting emotions, try to change the situation. Find out for yourself what in life causes you resistance (that same “friction”) and deal with it. source material is based on the book by Li Chen “Reading by feet. What your feet will tell you" Individual and family psychotherapeutic assistance, psychologist, trainer, coach Nadezhda Grekova