Plantar Fasciitis Essendon & Blackburn
Melbourne Podiatry Clinic based in Essendon & Blackburn provide quality care for plantar fasciitis to residents throughout Melbourne including Essendon, Blackburn, Strathmore, Box Hill, Mitcham, Brunswick West & Forest Hill.
Don't let plantar fasciitis stop you doing the activities you love!
We provide effective, long-lasting solutions for your plantar fasciitis no matter what the cause.
Our focus is to:
- Understand exactly what is causing your pain
- Reduce your pain
- Get you moving again
- Provide a long term solution
Our goal is to stop plantar fasciitis impacting your life and get you moving again without pain - fast!
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a very common condition seen by podiatrists. It is estimated that over 1 in 10 people will suffer from plantar fasciitis in their lifetime and is very susceptible to reoccur. It is caused by many factors such as age, overuse, poor flexibility, being overweight and athletic activity.
Your plantar fascia is an important structure that attaches at the heel bone and runs along the arch to insert under the toes. You can feel it when you flex your toes and run your hand along the arch of your foot. It is a very important structure that maintains the integrity of the arch and provides shock absorption when you walk.
Plantar fasciitis typically presents as pain in and around the heel that tends to be worse in the morning and after rest. Plantar fasciitis is often very resistant to treatment, therefore a structured, comprehensive treatment plan is paramount in resolving this issue.
Often cortisone is prescribed as an early treatment, but the latest evidence suggests it is not an effective treatment option in the early stages.
Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis
At Melbourne Podiatry Clinic we deal with many cases of plantar fasciitis on a daily basis and we have a proven track record in providing long-term relief.
Our treatment involves two important steps:
Encourage Tissue Repair:
- Shockwave therapy - is a proven treatment option and helps fast-track the natural repair process (see video below)
- Soft tissue modalities
- Dry needling
- Exercises
Removing the stress - it is key to reduce the stress from the plantar fascia to allow it to heal. We use a combination of targeted offloading techniques including:
- Taping
- Shoe modifications
- Shoe inserts (orthotics) - if more aggressive offloading is required.
With our treatment plan, you can expect the pain start to settle in 1 to 2 weeks. Once the symptoms have resolved we will put in place steps to prevent this issue from ever returning.
If you are having plantar fasciitis that isn't resolving, come and see us for a comprehensive assessment and we can start getting you back to the activities you love!