Are you suffering from debilitating heel pain? Don’t worry your Podiatrist can help.
Heel pain is a common concern for many individuals that can impact on your overall health and quality of life, which is why it is important to get a proper assessment and diagnosis. At Wentworth Falls Podiatry, our Podiatrists specialise in all things lower limb and can help you to get your feet back on track.
Who gets it?
Heel pain can affect individuals at any age and stages of life including children from 8-14, athletes, expectant mothers, workers on their feet all day such as tradies or nurses and even in our older age.
What causes heel pain?
There can be many causes of heel pain ranging from soft tissue concerns to structural abnormalities. When there is an increased amount of force placed upon the muscles and tendons in the feet and lower limb, pain and inflammation can occur. Additional complications can include strains and sprains to tendons and ligaments as well as trauma to the bones and fat pads along the bottom of the foot. Identifying the cause of the pain and reducing the physical load on the structures in the foot is your best defence for heel pain.
What treatment options are available?
Your Podiatrist can offer a wide range of treatments to best address your presenting heel pain problem. These treatments include but are not limited to; Shockwave therapy, dry needling, strapping or offloading, footwear recommendations, custom foot orthotics and specific exercise prescription for strength and flexibility.
Preventing future problems.
After your Podiatrist has identified the root cause of the problem, treatment and prevention strategies can be put in place to prevent re-occurrence in the future. Rest and cushioned devices can only take you so far to manage pain levels, a tailored rehabilitation program will best assist you on your way to recovery.
Heel pain! Here is 10 quick things you should know.
1. The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis which is caused by excess strain to the thick connective tissue band along the bottom of the foot. Onset can be gradual, after trauma or from a sudden increase in activity.
2. Not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis, other causes can be; abductor hallucis tendinopathy, Baxters nerve entrapment, stress fractures, fat pad atrophy or displacement, severs disease and more. Podiatrists are foot and ankle specialists that can help to properly assess, diagnose and treat your heel pain.
3. Flat feet are not the only ones to get heel pain or plantar fasciitis. This can occur for high arched feet and neutral feet as well.
4. ‘Custom’ foot orthotics are not all the same. Simple arch supports do not work for the long run and depending on your foot problem, certain types of orthotics or offloading devices may be required. Podiatrists at Wentworth Falls Podiatry can scan your foot appropriately to customise your treatment and devices. After seeing 1000`s of heel pain cases over the years we have been able to develop a range of orthotics that are accurate and effective as well as comfortable.
5. Footwear, what is best? Avoid footwear that is too flat, too high and too cushioned. Your podiatrist can assist you with choosing the right shoe for your foot to decrease pain and prevent future complications as well as specific requirements for your workplace.
6. Injections. This treatment option will only alleviate your symptoms not treat the underlying cause. Often relief will only last for a short duration before pain returns, which can be worse than the original pain. This is as a result of continuing to walk on the damaged structure during your ‘pain free period’. Multiple corticosteroid injection can additionally weaken the ligament it is applied, to leading to a potential future rupture.
7. Compression is your friend. Due to the presence of inflammation most often associated with heel pain, Podiatry directed compression therapy can assist with pain relief and treatment. It helps to control the excess oedema that occurs from the body’s inflammatory response to healing.
8. Rest and activity. A great way to improve your fitness and decrease unwanted weight gain is to get up and walk or run. Heel pain can be a major deterrent from participating in exercise and can also be a problem that has occurred from beginning a new exercise program. Rest can help with the early onset of pain however getting the right treatment as early as possible is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
9. Heel spurs! Often associated with chronic heel pain however can also present in individuals with no associated pain. A heel spur occurs in response to stress and strain on the soft tissue structures in the foot or in relation to a biomechanical imbalance.
10. Heel pain is curable and your podiatrist at Wentworth falls Podiatry can help, book an appointment today.