Around 70% of our work revolves around helping clients manage and improve plantar heel pain — a common condition that affects the bottom of the heel. The good news is that there are many effective treatments available. It’s important to understand that each person responds differently to treatments, and often, a combination of approaches yields the best results.
Our goal is to provide you with the best, evidence-based practices to relieve your pain, starting with treatments most likely to work for you. It’s essential to remember that finding the right approach can take time, as each step helps us understand how your body responds, and we adjust accordingly.
Key Things You Should Know About Plantar Heel Pain:
- Different Foot Types, Same Problem: Whether you have flat, pronated feet that roll in or high-arched feet that roll out, you can still experience heel pain. However, the mechanics that caused it will be different.
- The Cause: Plantar heel pain is often triggered by an increase in physical load or a decrease in your body’s strength to handle your regular activities.
- Early Intervention is Key: The sooner you address the pain, the more effective the treatment can be. Research shows that if plantar heel pain persists for more than six months, it may become more complex and slower to resolve. If it lasts two years or more, achieving a full recovery can be challenging. The sooner you take action, the better the outcome.
What We Can Do to Help You:
- Comprehensive Assessment: We begin by assessing your foot posture and gait to identify which areas are being overloaded. With this information, we can recommend effective interventions, such as taping or custom orthotics, to redistribute the load and take strain off injured structures to allow them to heal.
- Building Strength and Capacity: A crucial factor in healing plantar heel pain is restoring the body’s ability to handle physical load. We’ll guide you through targeted exercises designed to strengthen key muscles and improve your overall capacity for everyday activities.
- Releasing Tension: Injuries often trigger surrounding muscles to become tight and overprotective. We can identify these areas of tension and offer treatments such as massage, dry needling, or foot mobilizations to relieve discomfort and help them to function in a healthier, lengthened manner. Additionally, we’ll teach you simple techniques you can use at home to continue your recovery.
- Footwear Advice: It’s possible that the shoes you thought were supportive may not be meeting your specific needs. Bring your regularly worn shoes to your appointment so we can assess their effectiveness and offer recommendations for footwear that supports your healing process.
- Advanced Options: In some cases, if initial treatments don’t provide sufficient relief, we may recommend diagnostic imaging or refer you for specialized treatments like shockwave therapy. These additional steps can help us further understand your condition and explore all available options for healing.
A Personalized Approach for Everyone
No two individuals are the same, and everyone responds to treatments in their own way. Some may see quicker progress, while others may require a bit more time. The path to improving isn’t always linear, flare ups of pain are normal…
The key is to stay positive, be patient, and work together with us to find the treatment plan that’s right for you.
If you’re dealing with plantar heel pain, remember that a tailored approach can lead to lasting relief, and we’re here to help guide you every step of the way. With the right support, you can get back to doing what you love, pain-free!