Heel pain in those with gout can happen. It is not really known how common it is, but many do claim that it is very common. The heel pain that can occur in gout can be of two types – it can be part of the pathophysiological process of gout or it could be a coincidental finding.
If it is part of the pathophysiological process, then it could be due to the gout affecting the subtalar joint, which is the joint just below the ankle joint or it could be due to the inflammatory reaction to the deposition of uric acid crystal in the structures around the heel. Plantar fasciitis may be due to the urate deposition. The calcaneus may also be affected due to erosions from adjacent gouty tophi. The heel pain caused by gout is often difficult to diagnose as the symptoms do mimic other conditions (especially the plantar fasciitis). The best way to diagnoses gout here is to consider any typical or atypical heel pain that does not respond to the normal treatments to be gout (along with other potential differential diagnoses). A short course of
colchicine may be very helpful in establishing the diagnosis.
Plantar fasciitis is also very common, and gout is relatively common too, so by statistical chance, a good number of those with gout may also get plantar fasciitis. In these cases the gout has nothing to do with the heel pain.
Heel Pain and Gout
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