Common Conditions

Heel Pain



What is heel pain?

1 in 10 people will suffer from heel pain and there are many evidence based treatment options available. Heel pain is an umbrella term which refers to pain under the heel bone. There are approximately 40 different conditions that can affect the heel, so understanding the specific diagnosis is important when establishing an appropriate treatment plan.

Causes?

The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue on the bottom of the foot and inserts into the heel. This tissue can be damaged, torn or overloaded with increased activity levels on the foot, or increased body weight. Microdamage and swelling occurs under the heel, leading to increased collagen turnover and scar tissue formation. This causes chronic thickening of the plantar fascia that can easily be identified by scanning the foot with the use of diagnostic ultrasound.

Symptoms

The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:

  • Pain on the bottom of the heel.
  • Pain in the arch of the foot.
  • Pain is worse in the morning.
  • Pain that increases over a period of time.

How can South West Podiatry help resolve your heel pain?

Our experienced Foot & Ankle team will assess your concern during an initial consultation and provide you with an appropriate management plan that may include:

Clinic Locations:

Appointments are available at all clinical sites. *On-site diagnostic ultrasound is available at Earlsfield and Maidenhead clinical locations.

How to book:

If you are a New Patient, please schedule an Initial Consultation online, click here:  BOOK ONLINE. Existing patients can also schedule a follow-up consultation online: BOOK ONLINE .  Please check your podiatrists Bio here: About us  Alternatively call: 02071646607 to speak to our friendly booking team Monday-Thursday 9am- 5pm or Friday 9am – 3:30pm

Insurance and Fees:

We accept most major private medical insurance companies including BUPAVitalityWPACignaAVIVA and Simply Health. A full list of our consultation fees including self-pay can be found here: Insurance and Fees. Our Podiatry team are health care professional council registered, meaning they are required to maintain professional standards and continued professional development. As an organisation we have invested in the latest diagnostic technology in order to help our podiatry team, help you. We have onsite diagnostic ultrasound available at Maidenhead and Earlsfield clinics. Pressure analysis available at Maidenhead and Earlsfield clinics with treadmill examinations.