At our Landsborough and Kawana podiatry clinics on the Sunshine Coast heel pain is the most common condition we treat.

What you will find that sets Stepping Out Podiatry apart is our passion for an accurate diagnosis the first time, saving you time and money.  There are many causes of heel pain, and your Podiatrist has the expertise to identify the differences between these.  One of the main causes of heel pain is a condition called plantar fasciitis.

 7 common causes of heel pain:

1. Overuse  – running/exercising too often without rest.

2. Wearing old/poor footwear.

3. Standing on your feet all day.

4. Flat feet or very high arches.

5. Tight calf muscles

6. Poor knee alignment.

7. Lack of arch support. 

Should my arches be flat?

When we walk our arches should roll in slightly as this is necessary to absorb the shock from the ground with each step we take.  If the foot rolls in too much, this can create strain on the soft tissue structures that support the foot.  If you are standing on your feet too long, the muscles in your foot can fatigue, making your arch drop or flatten.  This in turn pulls on the muscles and tendons that attach onto the heel bone, which causes inflammation and pain.

As we use our feet daily, heel pain can take time to heal, however early intervention is always a recipe for a faster recovery.

Click to read our top 3 essential heel pain treatment tips.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a condition where the long connective tissue band (the plantar fascia) is inflammed and injured. The plantar fascia inserts into the heel bone underneath the foot, and when it is inflamed it will cause pain when your heel hits the ground whilst walking.

First step pain in the morning is also very common when you have this condition. Read more about it here on our blog.

Our complete treatment:

1. Function – A detailed foot and leg assessment as well as a full range of motion examination, will determine how your joints function and what is the likely cause of your heel pain.  This assessment includes walking, strength capability and flexibility.

2. Offloading – To heal the area, you need to offload the area. We can do this by strapping the foot to increase support short term and also we can pad up shoes to increase support when walking.  We can also provide a custom orthotic that supports the structural nature and functioning of the foot which will aid in the foot and leg muscles functioning at their optimum.

3. Pain relief – It is important to decrease the pain as soon as possible and we can do this effectively through massage, stretching and shockwave therapy. Click here to learn more about shockwave therapy. Shockwave therapy is provided at two of our clinics on the Sunshine Coast, Landsborough and Kawana.

Treatment Options

Orthotic Therapy

ORTHOTIC THERAPY can be a recommended part of the treatment pathway if there is a structural or functional reason you are in pain.  This means that if the way your foot is moving is causing excess pressure on your heel, then support and realignment may help.

Orthotic therapy is an offloading therapy and is usually recommended in conjunction with other therapies.  Read more by clicking the image below.

Strapping

STRAPPING is one of the treatments that we use at Stepping Out Podiatry to relieve your heel pain by taking excess pressure away from the pain sight.

Strapping also helps support other structures of your foot when you walk, therefore decreasing the inflammation. See our strapping video below.