4 tips towards your

Heel Pain Solution

Here at Heel Pain Solutions - by Highett Podiatry, our team has over over 200 years of combined clinical experience and with this collaboration we have tailored a treatment regime that has an exceptionally high success rate.

Kirstine Mann (managing director), has 4 tips that you may not have tried to aid you in the success of your heel pain treatment.

  • Don’t stretch!!!!

    Your plantar fascia is a ligament and doesn’t have the ability to stretch. As with your Achilles tendon, it is important to isolate the calf muscles from the achilles insertion.

    In my experience, rest and offload are the best initial treatments in aiding the healing of the plantar fascia and achilles pains.

  • Wear your shoes at all times.

    Don’t let your bare feet touch the ground for at least 2 weeks.

  • Buy a new pair of Runners and wear them all the time.

  • Come and see us at Heel Pain solutions by Highett Podiatry for a tailored treatment regime.

    See below for the numerous treatment modalities we offer at Heel Pain Solutions.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Therapeutic Ultrasound is often used to reduce inflammation and aid in the healing process. Patients can benefit from the 1 -2 weekly application of this soft tissue treatment.

Therapeutic Ultrasound works by emitting waves deep into the tissue to heat the area, increasing blood supply and aiding in the healing process.

Exercises

Exercises can be prescribed by your podiatrist to aid in the strengthening of the structures that support the foot and assist in the treatment of tight calves.

Self massage is commonly prescribed to aid in the healing of the plantar fascia ligament and loosening the calf muscles.

Please consult your podiatrist before embarking on a stretching regime as this can sometimes be more damaging than beneficial.

Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave therapy is frequently effective where previous conservative management has failed to resolve stubborn complaints. This is especially true in the case of a chronic heel and Achilles tendon pain. It works to breakdown tissue calcification and re setting the healing process, when the injury has become chronic.

Shockwave therapy is to be used in conjunction with other treatment modalities to be most effective.

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is commonly used here at Heel Pain Solutions by Highett Podiatry, to aid in the release of muscle tightness that surround the foot and ankle.

Dry needling is an effective treatment choice for tight calves and foot muscle spasm that can be secondary to Achilles tendinopathy and Plantar Fasciitis

Strapping

Strapping is used to restrict and rest the injured structures. As rest is imperative for the recovery and resolution of your heel pain, it is usually one of our first treatment choices for the acute inury.

Your podiatrist will strap your foot and will either instruct you on self strapping techniques or get you to return for complex strapping performed by your podiatrist.

Orthotic Therapy

Orthotics are commonly prescribed by podiatrists to aid in the recovery of chronic foot complaints.

Many heel pain complaints are caused by biomechanical anomalies and orthotics correct these, reducing the strain on the injured tissues.

Orthotics are not usually the first line of treatment, but are extremely effective in the resolution of chronic injuries and prevention of the injury returning.

Footwear

Footwear would be definitely our number one treatment advice here at Heel Pain Solutions by Highett Podiatry.

Without the correct supportive footwear, no amount of other treatment or therapies will be completely successful.

Our staff will advise you on the most suitable footwear for your injury, foot type and activity.

Other Treatments

Other treatments used at Heel Pain Solutions by Highett Podiatry are:

  • moon boots

  • cupping

  • massage and manipulation

  • heel lifts

  • shoe padding