Treating Heel Pain 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.
Heel pain can occur at a number of different sites about the heel and for different reasons. There can be mechanical causes such as those associated with the attachment of the tendo Achilles at the back to the heel. This can lead to the formation of a bone spur which looks very painful on x-ray but may not cause trouble.
Having a bone spur can heighten the likelihood of irritation caused by the stiff heel support of a shoe. This irritation can sometimes result in a blister at the heel’s back. Less intense rubbing from the shoe’s heel counter may cause a soft bump under the skin (bursa), potentially leading to inflammation (bursitis) if it persists. In certain cases, such bursitis is a result of an inflammatory condition like psoriatic arthritis.
Pain in the heel’s body might be due to bone inflammation (osteitis), and a deeper soreness could indicate a stress fracture in the calcaneum. This heel pain can occur from routine activities, like crouching in gardening or managing young children. Not properly conditioning your body for new or increased walking or running can lead to pain or injuries in your legs and feet, including the heels.
If you experience heel pain on the underside of your foot, it may be because there’s not enough natural fatty cushioning under the weight-bearing parts of your feet. This condition can cause bruising in the plantar medial calcaneal tubercle, especially when you’re in hard-soled footwear.
Heel Spur and Plantar Fasciitis
A bit more towards the front of the foot, heel pain may arise from a second heel spur, formed due to continuous pulling of the plantar fascia, resulting in bone overgrowth (known as Heel Spur Syndrome). Such strain often causes Plantar Fasciitis, a familiar and frequent injury to the ligament-like tissue under the foot.
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.
It is not uncommon for an x-ray to reveal a large heel spur on a pain free foot whilst the foot that is sore has no spur.
Causes of Heel Pain
At times, pain in the heel could be due to a small nerve on the heel’s underside getting irritated by the muscle above it. It’s important to accurately diagnose these conditions to create the best plan for effective relief.
In some cases, treatment may involve straightforward techniques such as cushioning, targeted exercises, and massages. Applying heat and ice judiciously, coupled with dry needling, can aid in relief. There might also be situations where anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, or using an ankle walker (moon boot) become essential for quick 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