Heel Pain

Over 95% of all heel pain is diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis. This is best described as an inflammation of the ligament that runs from the heel to the ball of your foot and helps support your arch. The bottom or inside of your heel may hurt when you stand.

Usually the pain is worse in the morning when you get out of bed and after resting when you stand up. The pain usually decreases when you walk a few steps but may never completely go away. This pain feels like a stone bruise . It is often due to over use, meaning you over exercised or just stand on the wrong surface in the wrong shoes for too long.

Sometimes jumping or falling traumatically induces the pain. If this is the case, see a Doctor immediately you may have a fracture.

Plantar Fasciitis Self Help Tips

Step 1

Educate yourself. The information provided by "The Heel Pain Center" should be used to help understand your problem.

Answer yes or no to the following statements to be eligible for this treatment.

1. I don't remember injuring myself.
2. My heel hurts worse in the morning (when I stand up and put weight on it) and after resting (when I stand up again and put weight on it)
3. My heel hurts on the bottom and not on the back of the heel.
4. The pain is like a stone bruise. The pain is not a shooting pain.

By answering TRUE to the previous questions you may continue.

Step 2

Determine what actions have caused your pain and continue to aggravate your heel (s):

1. Do you wear flat shoes either on a daily basis or on weekends?
   
   Here is a list of what flat shoes are: Boat shoes; deck shoes, moccasins, thongs, slippers, sandals, Dress flats, slip-on's, loafers or Keds brand tennis shoes.
   Note: tennis shoes in general are not considered flat shoes.
2. Do you work on hard surfaces like cement, wood or marble floors?
3. Do you stand on your feet a lot?
4. Have you begun an exercise program that involves walking, running, step aerobics or jumping rope?
5. Have you experienced any rapid recent weight gain?
6. Do higher heeled shoes feel better than flatter ones?
7. Do you like to stretch your feet in the morning to try to make them feel better before standing?

If you answer YES to many of the previous questions, then read on for information on how to manage your Plantar Fasciitis at home. Just like the common cold, there are some things you can do right now to try to alleviate your pain. Remember, if your pain persists then see our office.

Step 3

Plantar Fasciitis is an over-used syndrome. This means that too much tension is occurring within the ligaments and muscles on the bottom of your foot.

The goal of the Podiatrist is two fold:

First, we attempt to alleviate the inflammation by using anti-inflammatory and physical therapy.

Second, we attempt to control the biomechanics of the foot by using arch supports called orthosis, heel lifts, strapping, and stretching exercises.

The Feet For Life Centers is excited to also offer a new treatment, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, for chronic plantar fasciitis "heel pain". Extracorporeal" means "outside the body". Shock waves are created by very strong acoustic (sound) energy. Your ESW treatment will be performed with a device called the OssaTron. The OssaTron is a shock wave generator very similar to the shock wave devices used to treat kidney stones without surgery. The shock waves are created by a spark plus that is enclosed in a soft plastic dome filled with water. During ESW treatment, this dome is placed close against the heel so that the shock waves pass through the dome to the heel. ESW treatment has recently been found to be effective for treating chronic proximal plantar fasciitis.

Heel Pain Treatment Animations:

• ESWT or Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatment Animation
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Animation