Heel pain can be an indication of biomechanical issues such as flat feet, tight ligaments, muscles or tendons.
Treatment options may include:
- Well fitted footwear appropriate for your foot type
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Strapping to stabilise and control motion of your feet
- Orthotic therapy
Arch pain commonly occurs if you are doing lots of standing or walking, are overweight or pregnant. Also if you participate in high-impact sports you may experience arch pain. So as a result of this, we often see arch pain in sportspeople, in the middle-aged and older patients. In a lot of cases, the foot tends to be overly pronated (reduced arch). Having a reduced arch can put stress on the structures of your feet, such as plantar fascia, tibialis and posterior tendon. >Treatment options may include:
- Strapping
- A change in footwear to provide increased stability and support
- Orthotics
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Immobilisation boot in more severe cases
Heel and arch pain can impact your quality of life and in some extreme cases, the development of children’s feet. Therefore it is important to assess and diagnose which structure of your foot is injured so a course of treatment can be tailored to your specific needs. Usually a physical examination is sufficient, but an ultrasound may be required in more complex cases.
Make an appointment today to see our Podiatrist and get the bounce back in your step!