Sore feet and heel pain

Do you suffer from foot pain, especially bottom of the foot or heel pain?  Have you unsuccessfully tried different shoes to make your feet feel better, or are you like a lot of people, and hope that the problem will just magically “go away” and that your feet will be cured?  If this sounds like you, the first thing you need to do is to determine the cause of your foot pain, and then take measures to fix the problem.  There are many reasons for foot and heel pain, but one of the more common diagnoses is plantar fasciitis.

Plantar, or bottom of the foot, and fasciitis, inflammation and injury to the connective tissue, can be attributed to overuse / repetitive trauma to your feet, excessively flat feet, excessively high arched feet, Achilles tendon tightness, poor or ill-fitting shoes, or other biomechanical stresses to the lower extremities that lead to pain and injury to the bottom of the foot.  The plantar fascia by strict anatomical definition is a ligament running the length of the bottom of the foot from the heel and splitting to each toe.  It functions as an arch support and shock absorber during gait and weight bearing activities. 

Typically, plantar fasciitis is characterized by sharp heel pain with weight bearing and walking first thing in the morning, when your feet hit the ground after getting out of bed, and stiffness or soreness in the bottom of the foot or heel after being on your feet for prolonged amounts of time.  In the acute stage, the morning heel pain can be very sharp causing you to limp and alter your normal walking pattern.  In more chronic stages, after you have been trying to ignore it and wait for it to “go away”, the soreness you experience in the foot and heel may be more aching in nature, but may still cause you to alter your gait due to pain.  In some cases, chronic irritation can lead to the formation of a bone spur at the heel attachment of the plantar fascia.

The first step in treatment of plantar fasciitis is to obtain an accurate diagnosis of the condition.  Foremost in our treatment of plantar fasciitis from the physical therapy perspective is to identify the causative factors contributing to condition.  Based on this evaluation, the patient may receive stretches and self-massage techniques to use at home, and even a night splint to sleep in so the foot and ankle are held in position of stretch to allow the plantar fascia to heal in a lengthened position.  In the clinic, manual therapy, or hands-on therapy techniques, are used to mobilize tight tissue and improve the way foot and ankle move to relieve the stresses on the bottom of the foot.  Patients should be educated as to the proper footwear to purchase and wear to cushion and support the foot.  You may need to wear your running shoes the majority of the time to protect your foot while you are trying to heal this condition.  This means not going barefoot!  Other modalities such as iontophoresis and ultrasound may also be beneficial in the clinical treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Another very valuable modality to use with the treatment of plantar fasciitis is ice.  Since plantar fasciitis is an –itis, which means inflammation, ice is beneficial to reduce swelling and discomfort.  Be sure to elevate your foot while you ice for 15-20 minutes with a cloth between your skin and the ice to get maximum benefit from the cold therapy.

In some cases, the use of custom orthotic is beneficial to the give the patient better foot control and support.  At Body Mechanics, we are able to evaluate and cast your feet for custom orthotics for your athletic shoes or everyday footwear.  These orthotics are custom made for you and your specific needs, and in most cases, covered by insurance.

Don’t put off fixing your foot pain; call us at Body Mechanics and let one of our physical therapists help you get back on your pain-free feet.