Heel & Arch Pain
Help for Chronic
Heel and Arch Pain
If you suffer from persistent pain in your heels or arches, you are far from alone. We see a great many patients with these symptoms.
Yet for as straightforward as this type of pain might feel on the surface, the potential causes and factors behind it are numerous. Determining the root (or roots) of the problem is the key to finding the most effective treatment, and why we always recommend coming to see us for chronic heel or arch pain. The longer pain goes without being properly addressed, the more likely it will become worse or more challenging over time.
Causes of Heel Pain & Arch Pain
Many different factors can contribute to foot pain and discomfort, and sometimes more than one can be at play. Common risk factors we tend to see include:
- Having an abnormal foot shape, such as flat feet or high arches.
- Spending all day standing or on the move, often as part of a job—and especially if you work on hard floors.
- Being overweight, or having recently gained or lost weight over a relatively short period of time (pregnancy counts).
- Wearing poorly fitting or worn-out shoes.
- Exercising with too much intensity all at once, or repetitively over a period of time, without providing enough opportunity for the body to recover.
The above elements can cause excess stress on the soft tissues or bones of the feet, which can result in strains, small tears, inflammation, or cracks. The result can be a number of painful conditions, some of the most common of which include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendinitis
- Stress fractures
- Bursitis
It is also be possible that other conditions, such as arthritis or peripheral neuropathy, are responsible for your pain.
Treating Pain in the Heels & Arches
As previously noted, pinpointing the causes of your heel pain is essential to finding relief. A form of treatment that works well for one condition or cause may have little-to-no effect on others.
To fully understand your case, it is important that we not only conduct a thorough physical evaluation, but also know the details about how your pain is affecting your life. When do you feel it most often, or at its worst? What kinds of work or activities is it getting in the way of enjoying?
Bringing in a frequently worn pair of shoes can also be helpful, as we can read the treads to get a better idea of how you walk, and whether that is having an influence on your condition.
Once we know and understand the factors behind your pain, we can discuss a comprehensive treatment plan to provide the relief you need. A treatment plan could include one or more of the following:
- Simple rest and icing for recovery
- Incorporating stretches and exercises to condition strained soft tissues.
- Changes in footwear.
- Changes in your approach to exercise (e.g., incorporating warm-up routines, cross training, or rest days).
- Injection therapy to reduce pain and inflammation.
- The use of custom orthotic inserts (created through our advanced FitStation technology).
We will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our recommendations and all the available options for treatment.
In rare cases, surgery may be considered for severe or complicated cases. This will only ever be an option if more conservative treatments fail or clearly would not work.
Find Lasting Relief at
Midwest Podiatry Associates
Do not wait any longer to take charge of your heel and arch pain. When you come to us, we will determine a treatment plan that best suits your individual needs and goals.
Schedule an appointment with any of our area offices by calling (612) 788-8778. You can also reach us electronically by filling out our online contact form.