Heel Pain
Heel pain is one of the most common foot and ankle problems people seek treatment for.
While heel pain can be a persistent problem for many people, our doctors have the experience and wide range of treatment options to effectively treat the vast majority of heel pain cases within several months – without surgery!
No matter how long you have been living with heel pain or how hopeless you think your case might be, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll be happy to help!
What Makes Heel Pain so Stubborn?
Heel pain can often be difficult to treat at home. Even though it may seem like a relatively simple concern, a number of different sources can be to blame.
While pain may be located in or around the heel, that does not always mean the heel bone itself is the source of the problem. It may be other conditions, such as:
- Plantar fasciitis—aggravation of the thick band of tissue that runs beneath the foot
- Achilles tendinitis—aggravation of the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscles and heel bone
- Stress fractures—hairline cracks in bone
- Bursitis—inflammation of the protective sacs around a joint
- Heel spurs—bony growths off of the heel bone
…and others.
Furthermore, even individual conditions such as those above can stem from different sources. Is your heel pain the result of overuse during activity? Is it unsupportive footwear? Is it an abnormality in your foot structure that is placing excess strain in certain areas? Is it something else entirely, or some combination?
If you don’t know the exact causes of your heel pain, you are essentially shooting in the dark with any treatments you attempt. Some people might try one or two remedies, only to be understandably disappointed if they don’t work as well as hoped. But chances are highly unlikely that you’re dealing with some undefeatable monster of a case; it’s a lot more likely you just haven’t found the treatment that best addresses your particular situation.
Treating Heel Pain
When you come to see us for persistent heel pain, we will always first take time to fully evaluate your condition.
That means not only a physical examination, but talking with you to learn more about when your heel pain tends to occur and how it affects your life. We also recommend bringing a well-worn pair of shoes with you, as those can provide us some helpful information on your walking gait and whether you may have any high pressure areas.
Once we have all the information we need, we can make a diagnosis and our best recommendations for finding relief. There is no one “cookie cutter” plan for every heel pain patient, and an overall regimen might include one or more of the following:
- Standard rest, icing, and elevation
- Prescribing custom orthotics to provide corrective support of structural abnormalities and properly redistribute weight across the feet
- Regenerative therapies such as PRP and stem cell injections to accelerate healing of soft tissue injuries
- Specific stretches and exercises to condition critical areas of the feet and lower legs
- The use of special equipment such as padding and splints to help reduce pain and promote healing
Almost all cases of heel pain can be effectively treated via conservative methods such as those above. If, in rare circumstances, they do not provide the results we need, surgery might be considered as an option for finding lasting relief. If so, we will fully discuss all of your options with you and happily answer any questions you may have before you decide how you wish to move forward.
Heel Pain Treatment in Gilbert and Casa Grande
The sooner you receive targeted, professional help for your heel pain, the sooner you can overcome your discomfort. You may also help keep your condition from becoming worse or longer lasting, as well.
Schedule an appointment at once of our three area offices by calling (480) 962-4281 or by filling out our online contact form.