Heel Pain in Cricket
PODIATRIST CHELTENHAMPODIATRIST COTSWOLDSPODIATRIST GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Samuel Chidwick
8/5/20263 min read
Heel Pain in Cricket: Why We're Seeing More of It This Summer
If you've been playing cricket this summer and have started noticing pain in your heel, you're certainly not alone.
After months of dry weather across the UK, pitches and outfields have become much firmer than we're used to. Hard ground means higher impact forces every time you sprint, bowl, stop suddenly or spend hours on your feet in the field. As a result, we've seen a noticeable increase in heel pain in both adult and junior cricketers.
Although the symptoms may feel similar, the cause is often very different depending on your age.
Adults: Is It Plantar Fasciitis?
In adults, the most common cause of heel pain is irritation of the plantar fascia, the strong band of tissue running from your heel to your toes. It helps support the arch of your foot and absorbs force every time your foot hits the ground.
Cricket places repeated stress through the plantar fascia, particularly during:
Long spells of bowling
Sprinting between the wickets
Fielding on hard outfields
Standing for several hours during matches
When the ground is particularly firm, there is less shock absorption, meaning more force travels directly through the heel.
Typical symptoms include:
Pain underneath the heel.
Sharp pain with the first few steps in the morning.
Pain after sitting for a while.
Symptoms that ease once you've warmed up but return after activity or later in the day.
Many people assume stretching alone will solve the problem, but plantar fascia pain is often related to how much load the tissue is being asked to tolerate. Simply resting isn't always the answer either, as symptoms often return when activity resumes.
Treatment usually focuses on reducing irritation while gradually improving the tissue's ability to cope with cricket/specific loads. This may include strengthening exercises for the calf and foot muscles, improving ankle mobility where needed, modifying training volume and considering footwear or temporary taping strategies. It may also include advice on custom foot orthotics or insoles for use when playing cricket or other sports, all things we can help with at The Leg Lab.
Children and Teenagers: It Could Be Sever's?
For younger cricketers, heel pain is much more likely to be Sever's "disease" (calcaneal apophysitis).
Despite the name, it isn't actually a disease and it's not something that causes long term damage. It's an irritation of the growth plate of the heel, most commonly affecting active children between 8 and 15 years old.
As children grow, bones can lengthen faster than muscles and tendons adapt. Tight calf muscles combined with repeated running and jumping increase the pull through the Achilles tendon and other soft tissues, irritating the developing growth plate.
Hard, dry cricket pitches and outfields can make this irritation much worse.
Common symptoms include:
Pain at the back or underside of the heel.
Pain that develops during or after cricket.
Limping after sport.
Tenderness when squeezing the sides of the heel.
Symptoms that improve with rest but return during activity.
Unlike plantar fasciitis, Sever's usually settles once the growth plate matures, but careful management is important to keep young players active while avoiding prolonged flare ups.
Treatment often includes temporary activity modification, calf stretching where appropriate, strengthening exercises, footwear advice, heel cushions and a gradual return to full activity.
Don't Ignore Heel Pain
Whether you're an adult opening batter, a fast bowler or a young player enjoying junior cricket, heel pain shouldn't simply be accepted as "part of the game."
Continuing to push through pain can change the way you move, increasing stress on the ankle, knee, hip or lower back. Early assessment often means a quicker recovery and less time away from the sport you enjoy.
A Few Tips to Help This Summer
With the current dry conditions, a few simple measures can help reduce your risk:
Increase training loads gradually rather than jumping straight into full match intensity.
Wear supportive footwear during long periods of standing around before and after matches.
Keep your calf muscles strong and mobile.
Replace worn cricket trainers if they've lost their cushioning.
Don't ignore heel pain that lasts more than a week or two or is very severe.
When Should You Seek Advice?
If heel pain is affecting your running, bowling, walking or everyday activities, or if it's not improving despite reducing your activity, it's worth getting assessed.
The earlier the underlying cause is identified, the sooner an individual treatment plan can be put in place, helping you get back on the pitch with confidence.
With the hard grounds we're experiencing this summer, a little attention to your feet now could save weeks of frustration later in the season.
If you are unsure whether you should get an assessment, call or watsapp me and I would be happy to advise.
Sam Chidwick MSK Podiatrist and Clinic Owner.
Contact
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Phone
Watsapp