Heel pain and plantar fasciitis
- Do you have heel pain when rising from bed in the morning or after a period of sitting?
- Does your heel pain worsen toward the end of the day or after prolonged activity?
- Does your heel pain ache all day?
- Does your heel pain prevent you from exercising or doing physical activities you would usually do?
- Have you experienced heel pain for longer than 3-4 days?
- Do you find it difficult to stand at work because of your plantar heel pain?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, it is likely that you are experiencing one or more of the many conditions that cause chronic plantar heel pain. This condition is NOT difficult to treat.
Plantar fasciitis
What is it?
A common foot injury often presenting as ‘heel pain’ and referred to as a ‘heel spur’. It is regularly undiagnosed with people simply accepting to walk around in pain. It is a musculoskeletal condition that often causes pain underneath the heel and arch of the foot as this is where the ‘plantar fascia’ is anatomically located. This condition can affect anyone and can develop both rapidly or gradually.
Plantar heel pain (pain under the heel) is a very common condition affecting approximately 15% of the all adults with foot pain.
What will happen one the cause has been diagnosed?
The podiatrist will:
- Explain why you have developed plantar heel pain (i.e. what are the risk factors affecting your feet)
- Offer you the most effective treatment options •explain the cost of each treatment option
- Estimate how long it will take you to recover from your heel pain and return to full activities
What will the podiatrists at Coburg Podiatry do?
- Take a thorough medical and exercise history from you
- Examine your plantar heel and surrounding anatomy to establish a diagnosis
- Observe your walking or running gait and evaluate your footwear
- May prescribe x-rays or other types of imaging if absolutely necessary
