Heel pain, like ankle pain, can be caused by something as simple as bad shoes or an injury. But more often than not, heel pain is associated with problems with the nerves, tendons, and ligaments of the foot.

The repetitive pounding of one's heel on hard surfaces, to which women who wear high heels can attest, can cause painful heels.

Other sources of heel pain:

• Achilles tendonitis, which is caused by repeated and sudden contraction of the calf muscles.
• Heel bursitis, which is essentially an inflamed rear heel and is often caused by falls.
• Plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament running from the front of the heel bone through the bottom of the foot. Repetitive motions such as quick stops and starts during sports, or long distance running, have sometimes been associated with plantar fasciitis.