Abstract: Background: Heel pain debilitates the quality of life. Causes of this pain are many but exact diagnosis is lacking in majority. Change of architecture and mechanical properties of plantar heel pad is considered a major cause.
Materials and method: Prospective observational study with 194 cases of heel pain from 1st July 2006 to 1st November 2007. Acute heel pain following trauma, infection, tumour or other foot deformities were excluded. Standardised questionnaire, clinical examination and standard lateral wt. bearing & non-wt. bearing xrays view of foot projected at the calcaneum were taken to measure body weight loaded Heel Pad Thickness (LHPT) & unloaded Heel Pad Thickness (UHPT). Heel Pad Compressibility Index was measured by HPCI= (LHPT/UHPT).
Results: 194 cases with heel pain were included in the study. 88 cases are male, 72 cases are female patients. (Ratio male: female = 1. 2: 1). Mean UHPT=20.7mm, LHPT=12.19mm, HPCI=0.58mm. HPCI tends to increase with increase in age (> 40 yrs age group). No significant difference in UHPT, LHPT, HPCI between males and female was noted.
Conclusion: This is probably the first study in the North Eastern Region of India, which evaluated heel pain associated with heel pad thickness and compressibility index.
