Pods Heal Heels
The what, why, when and ways of heel pain
What
Heel pain can be anything from sharp, shooting pains to a continuous, dull ache. It might be worse in the mornings, at the end of the day or after exercise. You might feel it under your heel, around the back or even across the top of your foot. Podiatrists are the experts at treating all foot, heel, ankle and leg pain.
Why
I completely understand when people ask, "Why do I get pain in my heels?" We all just want our bodies to work. Heel pain most commonly is an over-use injury. The level of over-use is different for everyone, which is why the pain seems to happen for various reasons. For example, if too much stress goes through the heel tissues, it might be too long-standing or too much strain too quickly.
Heel pain is an umbrella term for over 40 different conditions; it's my job to know all of those conditions and diagnose the exact one you are suffering with. The most common one people know about is Plantar Fasciitis; it is easy to misdiagnose, so expert assessment is essential.
When
Firstly, you need to rest, raise and ice your feet. The aim is to reduce swelling and inflammation. Aim to spend 10 minutes twice a day with your feet up, resting on a bag of ice. You can also take painkillers to help you through. Do this for 5 days at the minimum; if you aren't feeling some relief after the 5 days, then on to step two. Seek medical help. GP's often recommend painkillers for more extended periods of time, and if your condition lasts for a few months, they might suggest a steroid injection.
When you visit a podiatrist like me, I will treat the pain and diagnose the underlying condition that has caused the heel pain to help you prevent it from happening again.
The treatment might include; exercises, footwear advice, insoles or laser therapy. I will take your medical history, discuss where and when the pain started, diagnose which of the 40 heel pain conditions you are suffering with, and recommend the best treatment.
Galileo, my awesome laser treatment 
machine, has been curing the people of Somerset for the last few months. The response from patients has been brilliant; sceptics turned into laser treatment converts. This is because Galileo uses light to stimulate your body's own healing processes; there are no side effects to worry about, just light reducing pain, swelling and inflammation, enabling you to enjoy walking again.
Book an appointment with me to assess your foot pain.
[…] on from last month’s pods heal heels campaign, you can take a read of that blog here. You’ll see there are over 40 types of conditions that cause heel pain; the main ones I see in […]