A: Pain in your heel and arch first thing in the morning is called plantar fasciitis. This is inflammation of the ligament that supports the arch and attaches to the bottom of the heel.
A: Stretch the foot by pulling the toes upward for 30 seconds, then grabbing a towel with your toes and holding it for another 30 seconds. Stretch your achilles tendon for 30 seconds 3 times in a row in the morning and before you go to bed. Take Advil orally as directed, Ice the bottom of the heel with a frozen bottle of water by rolling it under the painful area for 30 minutes twice a day.
A: At Healthy Feet Podiatry we use a short acting cortisone that is not bad for you and will be out of your system within 48 hours. There are very few side effects which will include an increase in blood sugar if you are diabetic. Cortisone is extremely helpful for heel pain.
A: Custom made arch supports which are called orthotics are the best treatment for plantar fasciitis, heel and arch pain. Orthotics can only be made by a podiatrist in a podiatry office. Anything you buy at a store is not an orthotic. Which is different from a store bought arch support. A cortisone injection in a podiatrist office is an excellent treatment to cure heel pain. Many times a person will need a cortisone shot 3 or more times before the pain is cured. The cortisone we use at Healthy Feet Podiatry is not dangerous and is out of your body within 48 hours. Other great office treatments for heel and arch pain and plantar fasciitis are super-pulse laser treatments, PRP Injections, and ozone Injections.
A: Surgery for plantar fasciitis heel and arch pain is used as a last resort if a patient does not get better from several cortisone shots, orthotics, anti-inflammatory medication, stretching, Icing and wearing a walker boot.
A: Cutting the ligament of the bottom of the heel which is called a plantar fasciotomy can be done to cure heel pain. At Healthy Feet Podiatry we also do cryosurgery which freezes the ligaments and regenerates the nerve in the area . Shaving down and cutting out heel spurs does not cure heel pain. Heel spurs do not cause pain in the heel.
A: Heel spurs do not cause pain in the heel. A heel spur is a sign of plantar fasciitis which is inflammation of the ligament that supports the arch of the foot and attaches to the heel. The treatment for the heel spur is to treat the cause of the heel pain which is plantar fasciitis.