Heel Pain Treatment in Carlton
Brunswick Foot Clinic offers quality orthotics & podiatric care to residents of and visitors to Carlton and beyond.
Heel Pain
Heel pain is painful. Heel pain is complex. Heel pain can be debilitating.
The condition that causes more people to cry in the knowledge that they will get better is heel pain.
Various sites around the heel can experience pain, and the causes are numerous. Mechanical causes, including those involving the attachment of the tendo Achilles to the heel, are often to blame. This can result in a bone spur that, despite looking painful on x-ray, might not lead to any issues.
The presence of such a bone spur can will increase the risk of its irritation from the hard heel counter of a shoe. Sometimes this rubbing at the back of the heel can lead to a blister. If the rubbing from the heel counter of the shoe is a little less, a soft swelling can form under the skin (bursa) which can then become inflamed if the rubbing continues for too long (bursitis). Sometimes this bursitis occurs because of an inflammatory joint condition such as psoriatic arthritis.
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Heel discomfort can stem from inflammation within the heel bone (osteitis), while a more intense pain might suggest a stress fracture in the calcaneum. Everyday activities like gardening or playing with children can trigger this pain. Failing to adequately prepare your body for increased or faster walking or running could cause leg and foot pain, heels included.
Heel pain at the bottom of the foot can be due to having an inadequate amount of the natural fatty padding that underlies the weight bearing surfaces of the feet. This can lead to bruising of what is known as the plantar medial calcaneal tubercle, especially when wearing hard soled shoes.
Heel Spur and Plantar Fasciitis
Slightly further forward there can be heel pain because of the formation of another heel spur where the recurrent traction of the plantar fascia overtime leads to the overgrowth of the bone (Heel Spur Syndrome). This mechanism of injury can lead to the very well known because it is very common injury of that tight ligament like structure running along the sole of the foot, (Plantar Fasciitis).
Although a bone spur appears painful, the actual pain may not originate at the spur’s location. Generally, the spur’s formation is attributed to the mechanical strain on the plantar fascia, not necessarily from the spur itself causing discomfort in the foot.
Frequently, an x-ray shows a significant heel spur on a foot without pain, while a painful foot may not exhibit any spur at all.
Causes of Heel Pain
Sometimes heel pain can arise from a small nerve that supplies the under surface of the heel being irritated by the muscle that crosses it. These and other conditions need to be correctly identified so the best management plan can be brought about for relief.
Treatment can sometimes include basic methods like cushioning, physical exercises, and massage. Utilising heat and ice thoughtfully, along with dry needling, can be beneficial. Occasionally, the use of anti-inflammatory medication, corticosteroid injections, or an ankle walker (moon boot) might be necessary for prompt relief.
Orthotic Therapy
Orthotic therapy aims to redistribute weight-bearing pressures away from the site of pain and to direct the foot’s movement to lessen the tension on the plantar fascia and the associated spur. In a few instances, surgery to release the fascia may be necessary. Furthermore, extra corporeal shockwave therapy has been proven to alleviate the discomfort associated with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.
Severs Disease
In children, heel pain can arise from active play leading to damage at the back of the heel (Severs Disease). This can stem from ongoing tension exerted by the calf muscle and tendo Achilles on the heel’s growth plate. It’s vital to accurately diagnose these conditions to administer the most effective treatment for their relief and healing.
Our podiatrists are highly skilled in diagnosis and the management of heel pain.
If you would like more information, please call our Brunswick Foot Clinic on (03) 9387 8555 or Sandringham Foot Clinic (03) 9555 6555 or click below to book online.
FOOT CLINIC LOCATIONS
Our service areas
Brunswick Foot Clinic and Sandringham Foot Clinic provide quality podiatry care to residents across a range of Melbourne suburbs including:
9 Glenlyon Road (cnr of David St)
Brunswick Vic 3056
Ph: (03) 9387 8555
Fax: (03) 9388 2288
Email: info@melbournepodiatrist.com.au