Why are my heels sore?
Heel pain can come on with a slow or rapid onset. Sometimes you can experience heel pain when taking your first few steps in the morning and when performing activities like walking or standing. Heel pain can be caused by a variety of different conditions. Some of these conditions include:
- Plantar Fasciitis/Heel Spurs
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- Bursitis
- Severs Disease
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is a common condition that our Podiatrists treat and manage regularly and is one of the most common causes of heel pain in adults. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot, when placed under a lot of strain from walking, running, exercise and standing on hard surfaces, this tissue can get injured causing you pain and discomfort.
The symptoms are usually characterised by first step pain after waking or sitting for a prolonged period of time. Usually the heel pain settles somewhat after moving around and then returns by the end of the day after walking or standing for several hours. The reason why some feet are more likely to have this problem compared to others can come down to many differing factors, some include: footwear, foot posture, walking pattern (gait) and flexibility. The good news is that most cases can resolve with help from our Podiatrists. We will create a plan to get you back on your feet sooner.
Our Podiatry team are here to help you through the process of diagnosing your injury, making a treatment plan that is targeted towards your goals and helping you until those goals are reached.
Our Podiatrists use the following to help diagnose and treat your injury:
Imaging (If needed)
– Bulk Billed X-rays and Ultrasounds
– MRI/CT Scans
Assessing the Cause:
– Video assessment of your running and walking patterns
– Assessing your footwear
– Assessing your hip and core strength
– Assessing your lower leg joints, strength and movement
– Assessing your risk factors (reasons why you have this injury)
Treatment
– We give you a rehabilitation program suited for only you
– We provide a Strengthening/Stretching/Balance program
– Give you a return to activity plan
– Modify your risk factors
– Improve your running and training techniques
– Work closely with your coach/exercise physiologist/phyio/other allied health team member to help you reach your goals
– CAM Walker/Moon Boot (for tears and fractured spurs)
– Strapping/Braces
– Sport compression
– Orthotics to help align and reduce risk of re-injury
Bursitis
A bursa is a small fluid filled sac, its responsibility is to cushion and lubricate areas where tendons, muscles, ligaments and bones rub together. Bursitis is a condition where the bursa is inflamed causing heel pain, swelling and discomfort. This condition can be caused by overuse of the particular tendon, muscle or excessive pressure placed on the particular underlying structure. This condition can often be diagnosed in our clinic, however our Podiatrists have the ability to refer for bulk billed ultrasounds and x-rays to confirm the diagnosis if necessary. We are able to help this condition settle down and take pride in reducing your pain to get you back to the activities you love.
Achilles Tendinopathy
Please refer to our Achilles tendinopathy page for more information.
Sever’s Disease
Please refer to our Sever’s Disease page for more information.