Heel pain can happen every once in a while if you’ve injured yourself or if you’ve been particularly active for a whole day. It’s usually not a big deal, but when it continues to happen and is persistent, it could be a sign of something more severe that is affecting you. Your podiatrists at Foot & Ankle Center of Illinois in Springfield, and Decatur, IL, can help explain a common issue that could be causing your persistent heel pain.
What Causes Heel Pain?
Heel pain can be caused by a variety of issues, but there’s one common condition that is normally associated with heel pain. Your podiatrists in Springfield, Decatur, Taylorville, Carlinville, Shelbyville, Sullivan, and Monticello, IL, will usually diagnose heel pain as plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia, which is a muscle that stretches from the ball of the foot to the heel, becomes inflamed and irritated. This can cause your heel to feel sore and stiff and it will usually occur after you’ve woken up in the morning or after you’ve been sitting for a long period of time. It doesn’t usually occur when you’re active, but will flare up once you’ve sat down for a bit.
Some common ways to care for plantar fasciitis are by doing stretching exercises to strengthen and loosen up the muscles in your foot, icing your foot multiple times a day, and wearing custom orthotics or night splints. This can help readjust your foot and give you the support that you need. The Foot & Ankle Center of Illinois also offers pain-free laser therapy to treat plantar fasciitis. Clients who are being treated with the Cutting Edge MLS laser are achieving wonderful outcomes and returning back to their normal activities. In some cases, when conservative or alternative treatments are not effective, you may need surgery to correct any issue with the plantar fascia.
Contact Your Podiatrist Today
Find out what the cause of your heel pain is! Contact your podiatrists at Foot & Ankle Center of Illinois in Springfield, and Decatur, IL, to find out what’s causing your heel pain and how it can be treated. Call for more information and to schedule an appointment today at (217) 787-2700.