Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain) – Sunshine Coast / Maroochydore
Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain) is a very common problem we treat at our podiatry clinic. On this page we’ll cover why it happens, what are the symptoms and how you can go about fixing it.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis (aka heel pain) is a condition where there is inflammation of the connective tissue under the bottom of the foot, also known as the “Plantar” – hence the name.
Most of our patients have symptoms such as:
- Painful to walk for the first few steps in the morning
- Painful at the end of the day before you go to bed
- After doing many types of exercise
Generally the pain is worse the first few steps in the morning, toward the end of the day and after sport or exercise. Commonly the pain may only be occasional when it first starts, many people assume it is a ‘stone bruise’ and will settle over time however the pain becomes more consistent. If untreated the condition can last for 2-3 years. With the appropriate management, in most cases patient’s will have significantly reduced pain in 6-8 weeks.
Why does it happen?
There are a number of reasons why Plantar Fasciitis occurs, here are a few:
- Working all day on your feet
- Wearing shoes that don’t support your feet very weel
- Doing lots of constant impact exercises like running
- Being overweight can cause more weight on your heels and consequently provide pain
- And many other things..
How do I fix it?
The first thing to do is to get your foot assessed by a professional such as qualified podiatrist.
It’s actually very common for Plantar Fasciitis to be misdiagnosed since there are a number of other conditions which share similar symptoms but actually require a very different approach to fix.
Some of the things involved in treating it can include:
- Specific stretches
- Shoe modifications
- Custom orthotics
- Taping and strapping
- Foot mobilisation therapy
- And much more..
Ultimately the best thing you can do is have an expert look into it. That’s the fastest way to get you back enjoying daily life without frustrating heel pain.
If you had any questions, feel free to contact us.
To learn more about Plantar Fasciitis and what your options are, book an appointment online by clicking here.
