Underneath the bottom of the heel bone is a fat pad which normally cushions the body and protects the body while we walk as well as run. Whenever running or walking, there exists a stress equal to around in excess of two times body weight to the heel bone during heel contact, so it should really be no surprise that we need to have that fat pad. This impact is even larger when running. Without this fat pad there will be insufficient impact moderation which can result in numerous issues as a result of that poor shock absorption. The commonest is probably soreness under the heel. This is not a typical reason for heel discomfort, however is an important cause as it can certainly often be mistaken for plantar fasciitis or other conditions. Typically it is straightforward to diagnose as there is just no shock absorption under the heel and you may very easily feel the heel bone.
What Causes Fat Pad Atrophy:
The causes are not totally clear. The fat pad really does atrophy as we age naturally and in some it just atrophies far more at a faster rate. Many people simply seem to get this yet others don't. It is really not linked to body weight problems. It could take place in several bone and joint conditions and athletes due to the years of thumping on the heel may well be at a higher risk for this. Those with a higher arched foot (pes cavus) will also get a movement of your fat pad that may give a similar difficulty to the atrophy.
Treatment of Fat Pad Atrophy:
The only way to deal with fat pad atrophy is to replace the fat or substitute for the fat. Sometimes it is implanted in surgically or maybe a shock reduction heel pad in the footwear used featuring a similar nature like the absent fat pad. Cushioned footwear could also be used without or with additional cushioning. Surgically this can be an injection of fillers or an autograft utilizing your own fat cells.
