What is Heel pain

Many conditions, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis, cause heel pain. A sore heel is a common foot and ankle complaint. Rest, orthotics and stretching ease pain over time. If you ignore and don’t treat heel pain, you may develop chronic problems that require a longer recovery. Heel pain rarely needs surgery.

SYMPTOMS & DIAGNOSIS

  • Stiffness and pain along the Achilles tendon that worsens with activity and is present in the morning.
  • Severe pain the day after exercising.
  • Thickening of the tendon.
  • Bone spurs.
  • Constant swelling that gets worse throughout the day with activity.
  • A sudden”pop” in the back of your calf or heel.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can cause workouts to be disrupted.
Continued participation in some activities might aggravate heel discomfort, however sitting about and avoiding activity is not useful.

Plantar fasciitis is seen in

  1. Sportsperson who runs a lot. E.g.
  2. tennis & football player, marathon runner
  3. After heavy work out in gym
  4. Housewife who stands for prolonged hours in kitchen
  5. Overweight + standing —-two deadly combinations
  6. Prolonged standing & sitting
  7. Flat foot or high arch foot

Plantar fasciitis is seen in

  1. Sportsperson who runs a lot. E.g.
  2. tennis & football player, marathon runner
  3. After heavy work out in gym
  4. Housewife who stands for prolonged hours in kitchen
  5. Overweight + standing —-two deadly combinations
  6. Prolonged standing & sitting
  7. Flat foot or high arch foot

Why plantar fasciitis develops?

The plantar fascia is a thick band that takes the load of entire body weight & maintains foot arch. It attaches to toes at one end & heel bone (calcaneum) at another end.
Plantar fascia in different positions of foot

Relax plantar fascia when foot is down

The plantar fascia is fully stretched in a standing position.

The plantar fascia is fully stretched in a standing position.

Plantar fascia in different positions of foot

Relax plantar fascia when foot is down

The plantar fascia is fully stretched in a standing position.

The plantar fascia is fully stretched in a standing position.

Treatment

NEW JAPANESE TREATMENT FOR HEEL PAIN

After taking all non surgical treatment, patient still feels heel pain. It affects on her quality of life. In this situation its very important to get rid of heel pain. This Japanese technique , invented by dr yuji okuno, interventional radiologist from japan has given long lasting relief from heel pain.
His concept is simple that at site of heel pain, there is chronic inflammatory process going on. So do angiography & find out site of chronic inflammation & embolize neoangiogenesis so it stops releasing inflammatory markers like cytokines. This will reduces pain.

Blood supply of heel through branch of post tibial artery.

Selective angiography shows vascular blush at site of chronic inflammatory process in heel

After embolization of this vascular blush disappear -& pain reduces.

HOW DO I TREAT HEEL PAIN?

Heel pain is very common is society. Most common reason of heel pain is excessive use of foot, obesity, Foot ware , Flat foot etc. Most common treatment for heel pain is physiotherapy but what if physio does not work? What if heel pain continue after long physiotherapy treatment….? There is no other option of treatment available for patients. As surgery does not give good results in heel pain. …….so what to do next?

We have treated many patients with plantar artery embolization for heel pain. This technique is non surgical technique & eliminating root cause of disease. Lets have a look how i treat heel pain…

HOW DO I TREAT HEEL PAIN?

Treatment of plantar fasciitis begins with first-line strategies, which you can begin at home

Stretching exercises Exercises that stretch out the calf muscles help ease pain and assist with recovery.
Avoid going barefoot
When you walk without shoes, you put undue strain and stress on your plantar fascia.
Ice
Putting an ice pack on your heel for 20 minutes several times a day helps reduce inflammation. Place a thin towel between the ice and your heel; do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Limit activities
Cut down on extended physical activities to give your heel a rest.
Shoe modifications
Wearing supportive shoes that have good arch support and a slightly raised heel reduces stress on the plantar fascia.
Medications
Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may be recommended to reduce pain and inflammation.
Stretching exercises
Exercises that stretch out the calf muscles help ease pain and assist with recovery.
Avoid going barefoot
When you walk without shoes, you put undue strain and stress on your plantar fascia.
Ice
Putting an ice pack on your heel for 20 minutes several times a day helps reduce inflammation. Place a thin towel between the ice and your heel; do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Limit activities
Cut down on extended physical activities to give your heel a rest.
Shoe modifications Wearing supportive shoes that have good arch support and a slightly raised heel reduces stress on the plantar fascia.
Medications
Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may be recommended to reduce pain and inflammation.

If you still have pain after several weeks, see your foot and ankle surgeon, who may add one or more of these treatment approaches

Padding, taping and strapping
Placing pads in the shoe softens the impact of walking. Taping and strapping help support the foot and reduce strain on the fascia.
Orthotic devices Custom orthotic devices that fit into your shoe help correct the underlying structural abnormalities causing the plantar fasciitis.
Injection therapy
In some cases, corticosteroid injections are used to help reduce the inflammation and relieve pain.
Removable walking cast
A removable walking cast may be used to keep your foot immobile for a few weeks to allow it to rest and heal.
Night splint
Wearing a night splint allows you to maintain an extended stretch of the plantar fascia while sleeping. This may help reduce the morning pain experienced by some patients.
Physical therapy Exercises and other physical therapy measures may be used to help provide relief.
Padding, taping and strapping
Placing pads in the shoe softens the impact of walking. Taping and strapping help support the foot and reduce strain on the fascia.
Orthotic devices Custom orthotic devices that fit into your shoe help correct the underlying structural abnormalities causing the plantar fasciitis.
Injection therapy
In some cases, corticosteroid injections are used to help reduce the inflammation and relieve pain.
Removable walking cast
A removable walking cast may be used to keep your foot immobile for a few weeks to allow it to rest and heal.
Night splint
Wearing a night splint allows you to maintain an extended stretch of the plantar fascia while sleeping. This may help reduce the morning pain experienced by some patients.
Physical therapy Exercises and other physical therapy measures may be used to help provide relief.

Patient Reviews

FAQ

Click on the down arrow button to see the answer.

Likely, your first experience with custom orthotics were a bit of extra cushioning purchased from a drugstore or sporting goods store. Cushioning always provides slight relief. However, this padding cannot treat medical conditions or constant foot pain. HTP Heel Seats feature patented Fascia-Bar technology, specifically designed to treat severe heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and heel spurs. Designed by a world-famous physician over 30 years, Heel Seats realign loose or damaged plantar fascia ligaments. They use therapeutic acupressure on your heel bones, prompting your body’s natural healing processes. This means, you get both relief and long-term healing treatment.

Most Heel Seat customers report relief within 1-8 days of daily wear. However, plantar fasciitis is a serious condition and may require up to a year to be completely resolved. By combining daily Heel Seat wear with rest, icing, and heel stretches, you will be on the path to complete healing.

Even if your pain is intermittent, don’t ignore it: especially if you’ve been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Your continued untreated pain can cause debilitating pain and limping and can lower the quality in your daily life.

Some discomfort may be experienced when first wearing Heel Seats. You may experience a feeling of mild pressure or an aching sensation between the heel and the arch of the foot. This stems from the Fascia-Bar technology gently stretching the plantar fascia ligament spanning the arch of your foot and realigning it into a healthy position. These adjustments strengthen your ligament tissue and enable healing. If you have sensitive feet, we recommend trying Gel Heel Seats as they’re a gentler version. However, those customers who reported initial pain adjusted to Fascia-Bar treatment in original Heel Seats after the first four weeks of daily use.
There are several do-it-yourself methods of pain management that are simple to combine with your Heel Seats. You can roll a frozen water bottle under your foot. Epsom salt soaks with added essentials oils, like lavender and lemongrass, can help relax your muscles. We also recommend exercising and stretching your feet and plantar fasciitis taping. Other treatments for heel pain management include ultrasound treatment, acupuncture, massage therapy, and anti-inflammatory supplements or diets.
Heel Seats easily slip in on top of your shoes’ original insoles. Designed for any pair of shoes with a full backing (no sandals!), each Heel Seat features a letter “R” for right or “L” for left for your corresponding shoe. We recommend wearing these orthotics as a pair for your body’s balance, even if you only have pain on one side.

Heel Seats need to be worn as a pair. Wearing only one Heel Seat will throw your body off balance. Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs often only occur in one foot. It may be tempting to only use one Heel Seat, but this can inhibit your body’s biomechanical balance and healing. Not to mention, it may cause you to trip or stumble.