At North West Physio, we’ve investigated 3 Causes of Heel Pain, and how we, as your Brisbane Physio can help.
If you spend long amounts of time on your feet and are finding it tough to bear, it might be time to see our team and uncover how Physiotherapy and Podiatry can help.
Don’t put up with any unnecessary pain, organise your next appointment by calling or booking online with either our Everton Park or Eatons Hill clinic.
- Everton Park – Online bookings here, or call us on 07 3353 4111
- Eatons Hill – Online bookings here, or call us on 07 3333 1646
3 Causes of Heel Pain
Heel pain is a common problem for many people at one point or another. These are the most common causes of heel pain:
- Heel Spurs – these are a boney lump on the plantar (bottom) surface of a heel bone, that appear as a ‘hook’ or ‘spur’ when viewed on x-ray. They are not visible through the skin; however trained professionals may be able to detect a spur through manual examinations. Heel spurs are often caused from soft tissue (tendons, muscles, ligaments etc) pulling on boney attachments which gradually cause the bone to be pulled away, therefore creating the spur or hook. Specific causes of spurs differ from person to person and require biomechanical assessments to determine the best treatment and management for that individual.
- Plantar fasciitis – This may affect one or both heels, affecting up to 65% of the population more commonly in women. It presents as a gradual onset, usually worsening after long days on the feet. It’s not visible through the skin and people with plantar fasciitis are often given inadequate information upon initial diagnosis which can lead to a longer recovery. Commonly associated with long term biomechanical imbalance or misalignment, usually flaring up after a period of intense exercise, unsupportive footwear and/or prolonged standing on uneven surfaces (e.g. long walk on the beach). Plantar fasciitis is caused from tight or overused soft tissue of the plantar fascia. This causes pulling on boney attachments which leads to inflammation and notable pain.
- Fat Pad Impingement – It usually only affects one heel at a time with a very broad wide spread pain, across the total area of the heel. It is often misdiagnosed by health professionals as the diagnosis requires specific tests and examinations. It’s usually associated with overuse, poor gait (walking) style, inadequate or unsupportive footwear.
How your Brisbane Physio can Help with Hell Pain
Heel pain that is recurrent, persistent or lasts more than 48 hours should be investigated by a professional.
Visiting a podiatrist will usually save you multiple trips to different health practitioners because podiatrists specialise in the form, function and pathology of the feet and ankles, often extending up to the lower back.
North West Physio has partnered with The Pedaler Podiatry to offer podiatry and physio appointments side-by-side in one convenient location.
Meet our Podiatrist – Ana Downey-Smith
Ana grew up in Central West NSW, studying a Bachelor of Podiatry through Charles Sturt University and completing her studies in 2013. Ana started her career with a public hospital in Sydney working with a prosthetics and orthotics team.
Ana has recently moved to Brisbane with her husband and is currently studying a degree in Sports Medicine through the University of Melbourne, expected to be complete by December 2019. She has also become more qualified, achieving extra certificates in dry needling, trigger point therapy and soft tissue mobilisation. This helps to provide an in-depth treatment with longer lasting results. Ana has a keen interest in biomechanics and alignment.
What you can expect from your Treatment
Ana prefers to take a holistic approach to treatment, focusing on more than just the areas of pain to help discover why it occurred, and prevent it from returning. She likes doing full biomechanical assessments on all patients to help promote correct posture, alignment and maximise the efficiency of the individual body.
Ana has over 6 years of experience making and prescribing orthotics, as well as adjusting or modifying and fitting shoes and cleats.
3 Causes of Heel Pain – How your Brisbane Physio can Help
At North West Physio we want to see you back on your feet and walking without pain. Treat your heel pain today by calling us on (07) 3353 4111 or book an appointment online here.
Two of our North Brisbane clinics have podiatry services, to book, follow the links below:
- Everton Park – Online bookings here, or call us on 07 3353 4111
- Eatons Hill – Online bookings here, or call us on 07 3333 1646
North West Physiotherapy is your one-stop pain relief and healthy living practice in Brisbane. With six clinics across North Brisbane; Everton Park, Keperra, Eatons Hill, Nundah, Lutchwyche and Newmarket, our aim is to provide holistic healthcare solution to suit your specific lifestyle.
Our services include Physiotherapy, Sports Physio, Hydrotherapy, Pilates, Podiatry, Dry Needling, Massage, Womens Health, and Seniors Strength and Balance Classes. Please note that services vary across our clinics.
Contact your local clinic to book an appointment.
