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How to Cure Plantar Fasciitis or Heel Pain

video about Orthotic Therapy & How to Cure Plantar Fasciitis

Here’s The Transcription If You’d Rather Read:

Hi there! Welcome to this tutorial on plantar fasciitis. My name is Karl Locket. I’m a sport podiatrist in Sydney, Australia. I trained in Manchester in the UK. My area of interest is plantar fasciitis. I’ve been working with this condition for approximately 10 years. So if you are watching this video, you’re probably suffering from heel pain or plantar fasciitis. I’m going to run through a few things today and explain to you a very successful way of treating this condition. And also run through a few other things, a few reasons why I think a lot of different treatments have failed to help the condition itself.

OK, so first of all, a bit of a background on the plantar fascia itself. The Plantar fascia is a large ligament type structure running through the sole of your foot . It runs from the base of your heel and through the arch of your foot, and attaches into the base of your toes up at this end here. It’s quite a large structure. It’s responsible for some of the strength and stability of your foot. Now, if you are suffering with plantar fasciitis, you probably get pain first thing in the morning when you take your first few steps, pain after you’ve been sitting down for a given period, you probably hobble a around for a few steps, then that pain probably drops off a little bit, allowing you to walk a bit more easily. But you probably find the pain last the all day , and you get shooting pains in your foot. A lot of patients will describe this condition as a feeling of stone bruise sensation or a pebble in your shoe right underneath your heel.

Now the treatment that I have the most success with, with plantar fasciitis is with orthotic therapy. But only because I apply some very specific principles into the design of my orthotic themselves. Ok, you may think that all orthotics are the same, but this is definitely not the case. They can vary dramatically. Even if they look the same in appearance, they work differently. It’s like a pair of spectacles.You might have a few different glasses on a table. They all look the same but you put each pair on individually and they work very differently. And the same principles apply with orthotics. I’m just going to outline some basic principles of orthotic therapy, principles which I find are often overlooked. And afterwhich, you’ll probably understand why some orthotics work, while a lot of orthotics fail to help plantar fasciitis.

When an insole is designed, there are two areas of that insole that can create support for the foot. One is the arch contour of this insole, very obvious and traditional. The other is a wedge, a bit like a door stopper that’s place around the inside heel area of the insole. Now, your individual foot function will determine which of these two areas, areas of support you actually need. You might need an insole with a good strong amount of arch support and a tiny bit of heel wedging, or you might need an insole that has a very low and gentle arch support but a lot of heel wedging instead. Okay, let me give you two examples to try and help explain these principles. First of all, I use the example of a foot which collapses . So if the arch of your foot drops or your foot collapses when you walk, then you should not be using orthotics that are designed with arch support. This type of orthotic will push up against the arch of your foot against the fascia, as the arch collapses and will feel like you’re walking on a tennis ball. It will put too much strain on the arch and on the fascia and will aggravate the condition. So this foot type we find will benefit much more from an orthotic that’s designed with gentle arch support. Just a little bit of contact through the arch of your foot but will control the foot instead with that little wedge, with the little door stopper that’s positioned around the inside heel area of the orthotic instead. So basically we are going to support this foot without pushing against fascia.

Now for the opposite foot type, which is the foot with the higher arch, that doesn’t collapse very much. So this foot type will benefit from the opposite type of orthotic that is designed with the very full arch and a minimal amount of heel wedging. So this orthotic must be designed very accurately so that the arch height of the orthotic marries exactly with the arch heightof the patient’s foot. So from a practitioner point of view, it’s really important that we get very accurate foot mold or foot scan and get a very accurate measurement of the patient’s arch height. So that the arch contour of the orthotic makes good contact with the arch of the patient’s foot. Therefore, supporting the fascia and relieving the stress and strain from the fascia itself.

So from these two basic principles that are outlined here, now, you’ll probably see that orthotic therapy is not as simple as it first may seem. And just because you have your feet molded by a podiatrist or a practitioner, it doesn’t mean that you are going to get the right orthotics for your feet. It really is all about the design especially with a condition like plantar fasciitis that is very stubborn and very painful .Now, there are lots of other variables in orthotic therapy as well and these principles that I’ve got through here, are just the tip of the iceberg. So my advice to you here is to do your research and find a good qualified sports podiatrist who specializes in orthotic therapy and I’m preferably one who has had some good success in treating plantar fasciitis.

Now, within our practice, plantar fasciitis is obviously the most common condition that we treat and we always abide by these principles of orthotic therapy because we see how beneficial it is to our patients . When we fit these patients with this right type of orthotics inside their shoes, they are usually cured and free from pain within a matter of weeks.

So my point here is to find out what foot type you are and make sure you wear the right type of orthotic for your foot type. Now, obviously the best way for you to do this is to visit a good qualified sports podiatrist and have them video your feet as you walk on a treadmill and make all of the necessary measurements.

Now there are lots of different home remedies that you might have tried to help with your plantar fascia problem. You might have tried rolling your foot on a frozen bottle of water , rolling your foot on a golf ball, pulling back on your toes, pushing your toes against the wall , hanging your heel off a step, lots of these different remedies that are very very popular. My advice to you is to be very very careful and perhaps refrain from these remedies. And I know that’s a bold statement because these treatments are very very common. However, I have found a lot of patients that these remedies further irritate the fascia. Rolling your foot on a hard object can put more pressure on the fascia and irritate it and certainly stretching the sole of your foot can further strain the fascia and cause it to pull more on the base of your heel. So even if these remedies give you a little bit of relief in the short term, which is very common, there is the potential that they’re aggravating your foot in the long term. So just be very careful with these remedies. Likewise, if you‘ve tried using arch supports in your shoes, you may have also found that these have aggravated your foot and that’s the same reason why. The arch supports are designed to push up against the arch of your foot, which really means they are pushing against that plantar fascia. Again, that can put more pressure on the fascia itself,and just cause a bit more irritation. So just be careful with that too. So although orthotic therapy is often the quickest and the most successful way to treat plantar fasciitis, it’s not always essential. With some patients,we can give you some very specific stretches to do when we can get you to avoid those home remedies that we spoke about earlier, and we can give you some good footwear advice and get you to put icepacks on your feet and you still have a great chance of getting rid of this nasty condition. If you want some more information, then you can visit our website, which is www.sydneyheelpain.com.au. Or call our staff at 93883322.

I hope you enjoy this educational video on plantar fasciitis and let you learn something today. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like and have faith that you don’t have to live with plantar fasciitis. Good luck!

Read more: Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Heel Pain Treatment

The main practice of our work here at Sydney Heel Pain Clinic is Heel Pain Treatment. As sports podiatrists, we treat all kinds of foot and ankle pain but most patients attending our clinic require Heel Pain Treatment.

Types of Heel Pain Treatment

Taping

Applying rigid sports tape to the affected foot once every 3 or 4 days is one type of heel pain treatment that works by unloading the plantar fascia. This type of treatment is not the preferred option for posterior heel pain / Achilles tendon issues which normally respond better to other types of treatment. There are many different ways of taping the foot and we use a technique that doesn’t bind the foot tightly and therefor doesn’t irritate the plantar fascia. This type of heel pain treatment relies on the commitment of the patient as they will often be required to reapply the tape for a number of weeks, after they have been shown how to do it by the podiatrist. Read more: Plantar Fasciitis Taping

Shock wave therapy

This form of heel pain treatment is relatively modern. Shock wave therapy stimulates the part of the heel that is affected and triggers a healing process. Usually, patients are required to have 3-5 sessions.

Orthotics

Another method of heel pain treatment is the use of prescription orthotics inside shoes. This is an excellent way of unloading the plantar fascia, which then reduces the pulling and irritation of the fascia on the heel. Orthotics will need to be worn for 8-12 weeks and it best to transfer them from shoe to shoe and wear them all day every day. This type of heel pain treatment can be expensive but it is extremely reliable (providing the orthotics are designed perfectly). The design and manufacture of orthotics is a highly complex skillset and it is not uncommon for some patients get poor results from inappropriate insoles. This type of heel pain treatment requires an extremely accurate assessment from the podiatrist and excellent communication with the technicians who are building the orthotics.

Ice packs

This is kind of a self – heel pain treatment. Ice will constrict the blood vessels and reduce inflammation. This reduces pain as well as speeding up recovery.

Stretches

This type of heel pain treatment is a must for all patients. You cannot have tight calf muscles and expect not to get heel pain. Whether its plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, Achilles tendonopathy or Sever’s. Tight calf muscles are a heel pain waiting to happen. And more to the point, this type of heel pain treatment is FREE! NOTE: The type of calf stretch and the technique are crucial. Otherwise these stretches can aggravate the heel.

Shoes

Another form of heel pain treatment is to focus on your footwear. Most patients that come to the clinic are wearing “comfortable” shoes but this does not mean that they are functional shoes. Your foot type is relevant when selecting shoes for heel pain treatment, as is your body weight and your level of activity.

Immobilisation boot

This form of heel pain treatment is excellent. These boots unload the foot and allow healing to take place naturally. Boots with a rocker sole and an air pump are the best, and they should be full height.

If you are suffering with heel pain, there are many treatment options available if you seek proper assistance from the right healthcare practitioner. Consult a podiatrist. Feel free to contact Sydney Heel Pain Clinic for more info about heel pain treatment. Inquire now!

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

You might also want to read about Plantar Fasciitis.

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Heel Pain

What is Heel Pain

What is heel pain? Heel pain can stop you in your tracks! It can cause pain so severe that you become house bound or reluctant to go anywhere that requires you to walk or be on your feet. It can cause you to put on weight due the resulting inactivity, and the additional weight gain exacerbates your heel pain due to the added pressure on your feet! It’s a vicious cycle that’s extremely common and very frustrating.

Heel Pain Symptoms

Most people with heel pain will feel heel pain in the morning when their foot hits the floor and after periods of being seated. Heel pain can also cause a throbbing sensation when driving, or a shooting pain when you are sat down.

Heel pain can appear at the base of the heel causing plantar heel pain / pain under the heel, or at the back of the heel, which is referred to as posterior heel pain. The most common type of heel pain comes from a condition known as Plantar Fasciitis, and this causes pain under the heel.

Heel Pain Causes

  • Plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory condition meaning that the plantar fascia in actually thickened due to inflammation. Plantar Fasciitis is often the cause of pain when the diagnosis “Heel Spurs” is used. The Heel spurs don’t usually cause the pain but the inflamed fascia does. Due to the inflammation, patients will usually feel pain in the mornings or after being seated. Plantar Fasciitis can also cause throbbing or stabbing pains whilst driving.
  • Heel Spurs are not usually the cause of pain under the heel but can cause pain at the back of the heel if they are big enough. However, in most cases the cause of this posterior heel pain is not the spur but rather the Achilles tendon or an inflamed Bursa, known as bursitis.
  • Achilles Tendonopathy is a common cause of posterior heel pain. This condition can also cause a stiffness / pain upon rising from bed and after being seated. Achilles Tendonopathy affects people with very tight calf muscles and is more common in slightly more senior people. The poor circulation to the affected area can delay healing and professional intervention is required.
  • Sever’s disease is another cause of Heel Pain but this particular condition affects children. It is a growth plate problem in youngsters and is common in those who are active and / or growing quickly. This form of heel pain means that the child will struggle with sports and will often shy away from physical activity. Due to Sever’s being a growth plate problem in the heel, the child will grow out of the condition naturally and the heel pain will eventually subside. However, there are treatments to reduce the pain in the heel while this is happening and these treatments help with pain and allow the child to stay active.
  • Bursitis , medically known as Retro calcaneal bursitis, is another cause of pain in the back of the heel or posterior heel pain. The small fluid filled sac behind the Achilles tendon becomes irritated and inflamed and this creates the pain. The area of pain will be very close to the area that is involved with Achilles Tendonopathy, and on occasions an ultra sound is required to help diagnose the condition. Again, there is often heel pain in the morning or after periods of rest.
  • Other less common causes of heel pain are a stress fracture, fat pad bruising, bone bruising or a plantar fascial tear.

If you are suffering with heel pain, there are many treatment options available if you seek proper assistance from the right healthcare practitioner. Consult a podiatrist. Feel free to contact Sydney Heel Pain Clinic for more info about heel pain treatment. Inquire now!

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

You may also ready about Plantar Fasciitis Treatment for your heel pain.

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Pain in Heel of Foot

Pain in the heel of your foot can be debilitating. It can stop you in your tracks and ruin your day. Many people suffering with heel pain will start to become so sore and inactive that they start to avoid every day activities like a trip to the shops or cafes, in fear of the pain.

Pain in Heel Causes

Pain in the heel is most commonly caused by Plantar Fasciitis but can also be from Achilles tendonitis, Achilles Tendonopathy, or Bursitis. Some people have spurs on the heel of their foot too, but these are not usually the cause of heel pain. Unfortunately, due to the fact that some patients are able to see heel spurs on their x rays they become focused on these and pay less attention to the actual problem.

Patients with pain in heel of foot need to be educated and should focus on the soft tissue inflammation that actually causes the pain in the heel, and not the heel spurs.

If you have pain in the heel of your foot you will probably notice that your first few steps in the morning, as you get out of bed are noticeably sore. You will probably walk gingerly for a few minutes and then find that the pain drops off slightly, and you are able to move more easily.

Pain in the heel of your foot will almost certainly be associated with inflammation, such as that found with Plantar Fasciitis. The pain level at any one time will be consistent with the level of inflammation present at that time and that’s why the heel gets sore after rest. It’s during the resting periods that the inflammation develops and then the pain increases as your foot hits the ground. Most patients report that the pain in the heel of the foot reduces with movement, and that’s because the inflammation dissipates with movement of the body.

Children Pain in Heel

Children who develop pain in the heel of the foot usually have a condition known as Sever’s disease. Sever’s disease is a growth plate problem that develops with very active children and often in those who have a growth spurt. The child will feel pain in the heel during activity and as with other inflammatory heel conditions (Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, Achilles Tendonopathy, or Bursitis) they will feel sore after resting too.

You might also want to read about plantar fasciitis treatment as another treatment for pain in heel.

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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What causes Plantar Fasciitis?

What causes Plantar Fasciitis?

What causes Plantar Fasciitis? Its no coincidence. The majority of patients presenting with heel pain have gone from zero to hero overnight!

The amount of times that the heel pain patient reports that they made the decision to “get fit” is uncanny.

They usually join a bootcamp,  hire a personal trainer or join the gym. Often, there are exercise routines that involve explosive movements, hill running, jumping or squatting. This creates tight calf muscles which pull on the heel and also puts a lot of stress on the foot. The plantar fascia is put under a lot of strain and then becomes inflamed very suddenly : hence plantar fasciitis.

Regardless of the heel pain, there is a desire to keep training and to lose weight and so the routine continues, which adds further to the pain caused by the plantar fasciitis. Most patients find that they can get through a training session because the heel pain eases after warming up. However, a few hours later, and the morning after can be excruciating!

So what should happen? Well, there needs to be a much slower return to exercise, with ample rest days in between and regular stretching afterwards. Calf muscle stretching is crucial as this prevents the pulling on the heel.

Once heel pain has taken a hold then its important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Plantar fasciitis can persist for many months if left untreated.

With the correct heel pain treatments in place it is sometimes possible for patients with plantar fasciitis to keep training. However, this is not always possible and a few weeks rest can be required while the treatments take effect.

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

You may also read about Plantar Fasciitis Treatment for more info.

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Shoes

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Shoes (Sydney Heel Pain Clinic)

We are seeing too many flexible shoes in the clinic!

Plantar fasciitis will settle much quicker with stable shoes. Remember, comfort is one thing, support is another!

You would not climb Mount Everest in your slippers would you? Even though they are comfortable.

Read more about: Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

If you are still struggling with plantar fasciitis after engaging in treatment then please consider your footwear.

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here: Contact Sydney Heel Pain to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Plantar Fasciitis (Golfers Heel)

Plantar Fasciitis Shoes

Plantar Fasciitis is nowadays also known as Golfers Heel due to the increasing incidence of the condition amongst Golfers.

More and more golfers are entering the clinic complaining of heel pain or Plantar Fasciitis and have all the typical symptoms of this common condition. Whether a competitive or a social golfer the symptoms are all the same: Pain on the back 9 holes, pain after being sat down in the “19th” hole and pain when walking from the car after driving home. The next morning will usually be a painful time too.

Many golfers don’t realise the shear length of time they spend on their feet: 18 holes is usually 4-5 hours (depending on how straight you hit the ball!) And some patients I treat play up to 4 times a week! That’s a lot of walking!

They tend to attribute their heel pain to footwear or some other activity because they “have been playing golf for years without any foot problems”. However, what they don’t realise is that the foot can change as we age and that these injuries can simply creep up on us. Therefore, although foot function may appear to be quite normal, when fatigue sets in after such a lengthy walk around the golf course problems can arise.

Golf shoes are an issue. They need to be the right model for your foot type. And older golf shoes that haven’t been changed for a while will offer less support as they wear out, allowing further strain on the foot. This is one of the reasons why Plantar Fasciitis is so common amongst golfers. That’s why for plantar fasciitis, shoes should be considered and checked.

When walking around for several hours on grass and uneven surfaces we need all the help we can get. Hence good shoes and orthotics for extra support. This will keep injuries at bay: Plantar Fasciitis / Heel pain / Shin splints / Knee pain / Ball of foot pain.

I believe all golfers and hikers should have their feet assessed and their footwear checked at least once a year to keep them moving and keep their feet happy. I cant promise to bring your handicap down, but at least you won’t be able to blame foot pain as your handicap!

If you think you have Plantar Fasciitis or heel pain and would like a check up please bring your golf shoes to your appointment. Happy Golfing!

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

You might also want to read about Plantar Fasciitis Treatment.

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Plantar Fascia Stretches

Question from patient: (Sydney)

My physio has given me some stretches for my plantar fasciitis. Hanging my heel off a step and pulling back on my toes. Is this right, as i dont seem to be getting better?

Answer:

No. Our experience at Sydney Heel Pain is that these stretches cause the fascia to pull more on the heel bone and increase heel pain. You should refrain from these stretches. Please see our video on the home page. www.sydneyheelpain.com.au

  • Call 8097 8904 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0449 120 550 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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Is Plantar Fasciitis different to Heel Spur Syndrome?

Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Spur Syndrome

Many people have heel spurs without having any pain at all.

People with chronic pain under the base of the heel actually have Plantar Fasciitis.

The pain always comes from the Plantar Fascia pulling on the heel bone and not from the spurs themselves.

Heel spurs are not the problem. Do not focus your treatment around the heel spurs, instead, focus on treating the Plantar Fasciitis.

Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis is different to treatment for heel spurs. With Plantar Fasciitis, the treatment needs to revolve around removing strain from the Plantar Fascia and not cushioning the heel as with heel spurs. Read more about Plantar Fasciitis Treatment.

  • Call 93883322 to speak with our experienced practice manager.
  • Click here to request an appointment:
  • Text “help” to this number 0415977624 if you would like a pre consultation chat before committing to an appointment

 

Written by Karl Lockett

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