You Don’t Have to Live with Heel Pain

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At Texas Foot Specialists one of the most common reasons our patients come to us is because they are experiencing heel pain. Too often, they have suffered with this discomfort for a considerable time which is unfortunate because there are many conservative treatment options for heel pain. In addition, continuing to walk on hurting heels will likely lead to more damage.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

The majority of cases of heel pain that we see in our Sugar Land (281-242-4448), Pasadena (281-991-0600), or Houston (713-664-6677) offices are the result of a condition called Plantar Fasciitis. It occurs when the plantar fascia—a long band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your toes to your heel—becomes irritated and inflamed. This can occur for a number of reasons, including:

  • Faulty foot mechanics

  • A job that requires you to stand for long hours on a hard surface

  • Being overweight

  • Wearing shoes that lack adequate arch support

  • Flat feet or overly high arches

Our podiatrists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum, will examine your feet and most likely order x-rays or other imaging studies to rule out other conditions that can cause heel pain. If they determine that you have plantar fasciitis, they may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

Shoe Modifications—choosing shoes with more arch support and a slightly raised heel

Stretching Exercises—particularly of the calf muscles

Limiting Physical Activities—to give your heel a rest and a chance for the inflammation to go down

Custom Orthotics—to correct a biomechanical problem that is causing irritation to the plantar fascia

Physical Therapy—several modalities have proven effective in treating plantar fascia

Removable Walking Cast—to immobilize the heel and allow it to rest

Night Splint—to keep the plantar fascia stretched.

In addition, the foot doctor may recommend oral non-prescription medications and icing to relieve pain and inflammation.

So, don’t put off getting your heel pain evaluated. Contact us today and put yourself on the path to recovery.