Heel pain is a common problem we treat at our office. People can develop heel pain for different reasons such as athletics, weight gain, plantar fasciitis, and on and on. However, it is less common to think about your feet becoming skinnier. Your feet, like tires, accumulate a lot of miles throughout the years and carry a lot of weight. As you age, your feet's fat pads can become thinner which does not allow them to absorb as much shock as you walk, run or exercise.
What is Happening to Your Fat Pads
Your fat pad, the skin and tissue your heel bone rests on, can become thinner and weaker. This is also known as plantar fat pad atrophy.This can cause the bone to become irritated, the ligaments to become overused and so on. Although it would be nice to simply change the pads, like tires, this is impossible for now. The best way to treat this pain is to wear supportive shoes, get fitted for orthotics, or possibly have injections.
