Heel Pain Have You On The Sidelines?

Pain is the body's way of telling us we many have suffered an injury. This alerts us to seek medical attention. A common complaint with our patients is heel pain. There are a variety of causes for heel pain. It is very important to have any type of heel pain properly diagnosed by a podiatrist.

The foot has numerous working parts and to maintain 100% pain free they need to exist in a specific relationship. Each sport applies intense stress and abnormal strain on the feet. The feet are not constructed to accommidate for this.

The most common cause of heel pain, plantar fasciitis, occurs on the bottom of the foot and is an inflammation in the band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that runs from the heel to the toes. This is most often caused by poor foot structure such as flat feet or high arches. It can also be caused by wearing non-supportive footwear on hard surfaces, such as, the wrong type of shoes for your sport. The pain caused by plantar fasciitis is usually a sharp, stabbing pain on the inside of the bottom of the heel that can feel like a knife stabbing into the heel. The pain from plantar fasiitis is typically the worst in the morning when you first stand on your feet. It can subside as the day goes on, but can return with prolonged standing or walking.

Conservative treatment is used to treat most heel problems. There is a wide variety of conservative treatments being implemented today. Cortisone injections, oral and topical medications, and heel taping are just some of the examples of conservative heel care. In some cases exercise, stretching, and physical therapy are used for treatment.

Another common conservative treatment is orthotics. Orthotics are heel supports that are worn under your heel and the arch of your foot. There are a variety of orthotics available. Custom molded orthotics and Powerstep medical grade orthotics are two common types.

Custom molded orthotics are molded to be anatomically matched to your heel and do more than just provide support. They are designed to realign your feet and heels to bring your body back to a neutral position. Custom molded orthotics are used to treat heel pain, but are also used for foot and arch pain. They help to prevent sports injuries and even improve sports function.

Another type of orthotic that is similar to the custom molded orthotics are Powerstep medical grade orthotics. They help provide the same type of support and also help to bring your feet, heels, and body to a neutral position.

So if you are having any type of heel pain and are living an active life, schedule an appointment with your local podiatrist to have your heel pain properly diagnosed. The Advanced Foot Care Clinic can be reached at 419-423-1888 or you can go to our website http://www.vailfoot.com/. There are numerous of products listed on our online website and you can also find a list of recommended shoes to fit your active lifestyle needs.