Is your heel so painful in the morning you hesitate to take a step? You may have plantar fasciitis, a common inflammatory condition related to overuse, improper gait and other factors. At Advanced Podiatry of Needham, your foot doctors, Dr. Michael Mitry and Dr. Christopher Karter, analyze heel pain and suggest ways to eliminate it.
It may be plantar fasciitis
Your Needham foot doctors see many adult patients with plantar fasciitis and its related heel spur syndrome. Plantar fasciitis comes from inflammation of the connective tissue located between the heel and the toes. A heel spur, or small calcified bump, may project from the front of the heel bone itself.
The plantar fascia spans the arch of the foot, and when overstretched due to sports (running), standing for prolonged periods of time or rolling the foot inward (overpronation), it becomes inflamed and very tender. After you sleep or sit, the pain is worse, but with gentle activity, it diminishes, only to return hours later.
See your podiatrist
For persistent heel pain, contact Dr. Mitry or Dr. Karter for an in-office foot exam. They'll want to look at your foot, how you place it when you walk and at your strength, range of motion and reflexes. Digital imaging will show any bone spurs and rules out problems such as stress fractures.
To treat plantar fasciitis, your podiatrist may advise some of the following:
- Simple rest or modification of your training program if you are an athlete
- Well-constructed footwear with low heels and support in the arches
- Ibuprofen for pain
- Stretching exercises and physical therapy
- Shoe inserts to balance your gait
- Night splints to support the foot or a walking cast during the day
Few people require surgery for plantar fasciitis, but if your symptoms persist beyond six to eight weeks, your podiatrist may consider it.
Other reasons for heel pain
Stone bruises may cause heel pain as can arthritis and bursitis. Simply carrying too much bodyweight may flatten your arches excessively and inflame the connective tissue or even lead to stress fractures. So, keeping a healthy weight is important to your overall and podiatric health.
Stay on your feet
You can manage heel pain. So, don't suffer. Call Dr. Michael Mitry and Dr. Christopher Karter, your foot doctors in Needham, MA. You'll receive the best in patient-centered care. Phone Advanced Podiatry of Needham at (781) 444-4044.