RA and Heel pain

Question:
I have recently developed heel pain which radiates to the outside of the foot (not to the ball of the foot or toes). Please excuse the dumb question, but can RA affect just the heel of the foot? I know I have to see my Rheumy, but wanted to get some insight before I call him.

Answer:
I am pretty sure RA can affect any part of your body. It sounds like it could also be a heel spur which is very common in RA patients. Talk to your rheumy or go see a podiatrist. Heel spurs can be resolved fairly easily if detected early on. Heel pain can result from plantar fasciitus. Inflammation of the fascia in the heel where the tendon joins the Talus bone. I have had real problems with this. It is not a heel spur. This is quite common in the spondyloarthropathys and in RA too ( I think), but others with RA will soon tell you if this is right. I have a spondy. I have had to have several cortisone shots into the heel, which does help for a while. Stretching exercises of that area are important and rolling your foot over and iced plastic cordial bottle ( Filled with water) is good when the inflammation is causing you trouble. Hope this helps a bit. That’s what I have is Plantor Fascitis...and I have Bone Spur growing on the bottom of my heel…Doc gave me a cortisone shot but it didn’t work… I have OA in my feet and back and knees and hands and fingers! BY the way I am NEW in here too…It may depend on how developed the bone spur is. I had PF several years ago, but the tendon attachment was just beginning to harden into bone. A couple of cortisone shots killed the pain completely and permanently, and short-term taping along with long-term orthotics took the tension off the plantar fascia and allowed it to heal (and the incipient bone spur to dissolve). Truth in posting: I don't have arthritis, so for me there was no possible connection with OA.