What is Heel Pain?

Your heel is made up of fatty tissue that helps support and balance your body throughout the day. Heel pain is a prevalent foot complaint and may involve injury to the bone, fat pad, ligaments, tendons or muscles. The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis, a condition where your main arch ligament (fascia) becomes inflamed and causes pain.

While many people can experience inflamed ligaments with no symptoms, it can be felt as an acute pain at the heel that starts gradually and progresses with more intensity when weight is shifted on it by standing, walking or doing other physical activity.

If you are experiencing any aches and tension in your feet, visit one of our locations for effective heel pain treatment in Sydney.

What is a Heel Spur?

At our many locations in Sydney, heel pain treatment is a common practice in each clinic. Heel spurs (calcaneal spurs) occur over time when your fascia’s healing has been delayed, creating the growth of bony calcium deposits and swelling in the area around the heel. Heel spurs are caused by repetitive stress from walking and running on hard surfaces, arthritis, and body weight. This condition has also been associated with flat feet.

Who Suffers Heel Pain?

Anyone can suffer from heel pain, but certain groups and demographics seem to be at increased risk, including:

  • Middle-aged men and women
  • People engaging in active sports and activities
  • People with excess weight
  • Children aged between eight and 13 years
  • Pregnant women
  • People who stand for long periods.

Common Causes of Heel Pain?

Certain lifestyle and health factors can trigger heel pain, which can occur multiple times if it isn’t treated and the behaviour hasn’t been corrected. Some of the primary causes of heel pain include:

  • Abnormal walking styles such as rolling the feet inwards, over-pronation and supination
  • Obesity
  • Ill-fitting shoes, e.g. narrow toe, worn-out shoes
  • Standing, running or jumping on hard surfaces
  • Recent changes in an exercise programme
  • Heel trauma, e.g. stress fractures
  • Bursitis (inflammation of a bursa)
  • Health disorders, including diabetes and arthritis.

When you seek treatment for heel pain at our Sydney locations, our doctors, therapists, and expert staff can guide you on the best course of action to manage and alleviate issues with your fascia.

Heel Pain Treatment

Most heel pain is caused by a combination of poor biomechanics, muscle weakness or tightness. The good news is that heel pain can be effectively managed once the cause is identified.

Most heel pain can be successfully treated via:

  • ESWT Shockwave therapy  – One of the most effective heel pain treatments in Sydney, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a non-surgical, non-invasive therapy that transmits shock waves into the heel or affected area to relieve pain and stimulate healing.
  • Biomechanical correction – Our expert team will give you tailored recommendations on the best orthotics, taping, and foot posture exercises to correct the source of your pain and prevent it from reoccurring.
  • Taping – A popular treatment of heel pain at our Sydney clinics involves a unique taping bandage across your heel, foot and ankle to support and stabilise your plantar fascia and arch.
  • Muscle stretches and foot strengthening exercises – Taut and over-stretched muscles are prominent causes of plantar fasciitis. Using specialised muscle stretches and foot strengthening exercises, we can help you condition your tissue to aid its healing and strengthen it for the future. The best part is you can also perform these exercises at home for compounding benefits.
  • Lower limb muscle strengthening – Heel pain and injury are extremely common, but they don’t have to be. Visit any one of our clinics in Sydney for heel pain treatment, and our specialised team can give you an accurate assessment and early treatment. Most heel pain injuries respond extremely quickly to therapy, allowing you to quickly resume pain-free and normal activities of daily living.

Take advantage of the best heel pain treatment in Sydney at Podiatry First today

If you’re looking for efficacious heel pain treatment in Sydney, no one is more experienced or qualified than the city’s leading sports podiatry clinic, Podiatry First. Our clinic takes advantage of the latest technology and treatment modalities to create tailored plans that manage pain and symptoms and address the underlying cause so it can be permanently corrected. 

With convenient locations in Sydney’s CBD, Bondi Junction and Miranda, we can quickly eliminate simple issues before they become larger problems. Each of our clinics is headed by registered doctors and therapists who can assess and treat your feet, ankles and lower extremities. Book your consultation today to regain your lifestyle.

Podiatry First can also help you with the following treatments:

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