Heel Pain & Shockwave Therapy

Heel pain comes in many shapes and sizes and is the most common problem that we as podiatrists treat. It can present in adolescents, young and middle aged, as well as the elderly. It is important to distinguish each group as although they have heel pain there are different reasons for the pain.

In adolescents aged 8-14 it almost always due to irritation of the growth plate of the heel bone (calcaneus). Termed Severs disease, it is related to a certain developmental stage of growth and cannot be cured as such. However the symptoms can be effectively managed.

In the adult population heel pain is most commonly associated with plantar fasciitis. Most people will describe 1^st step pain after periods of rest including getting out of bed in the morning. The condition has multiple causative factors and your podiatrist will identify these. Common treatments may include ice, massage, stretching, taping, new footwear, orthoses, activity modification and anti-inflammatory medications.

Here at the Sunbury & Macedon Ranges Foot Clinic we also offer Shock Wave therapy for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Shockwave therapy is the application of high energy Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) waves through the skin to accelerate the healing process, reduce pain and promote tissue repair. Treatment usually lasts just a few minutes and reduced pain is usually described straight after treatment (short term effect), and throughout the following days, improvement in pain is noted (long term effect).

Podiatrists are best equipped to manage all forms of heel pain in patients of all ages.