Plantar Fasciitis Treatment in Mulgrave

Treatment options for Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

If you think you are experiencing plantar fasciitis, we understand it can be a frustrating and painful condition. The first step to getting treatment for a condition like this is to book an appointment with one of our Valewood Clinic GPs who can refer you to our in-house podiatrist, Dr Maria Edwin (visiting on Thursdays ). She will work with you to come up with an action and recovery plan to heal your feet and reduce the pain you’re experiencing

You may be wondering – what is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition where the muscle that runs along the bottom of the foot (the plantar fascia) becomes inflamed, making it painful to stand, walk or run.

It can make everyday tasks uncomfortable and difficult.  It can also be frustrating for active people trying to enjoy their athletic or daily activities, but are being held back from extreme pain in their feet. It also affects those who are more sedentary, even making getting out of bed in the morning very uncomfortable.

Valewood Clinic in Mulgrave - Heel Problems ? The Valewood Clinic can help with a treatment plan.

What causes it?

There can be many factors contributing to inflammation of the plantar fascia :

         Wearing incorrect shoes that don’t provide adequate support or not adding the correct support to your footwear if you have high or low arches.

         Overworking the muscle in sporting activities such as running and jumping – causing it to inflame.

         Obese and overweight people struggle with this condition more, due to carrying extra weight the pressure placed on the foot to support the body weight is exacerbated.

If you’d like to know more about the condition, you can read more at the National Library of Medicine website.

How can I treat it?

Treatment is best under the care of an experienced podiatrist. Our in-house podiatrist will help you to develop a tailored action plan to heal the plantar fascia and reduce the unpleasant symptoms you’re experiencing. A combination of stretches, resting, icing, rolling and medication may be included in the plan.

The Podiatrist at Valewood Clinic in Mulgrave will be able to assist you with treatment options for Plantar Fasciitis.

Any tips for helping the pain at home?

While a podiatrist will provide you with the right plantar fasciitis treatment plan for your specific needs, some tried and tested remedies for reducing the foot pain include:

  • Rolling your foot on a golf ball or tennis ball,
  • Using icepacks to provide relief to the base of the foot,
  • Taking over-the-counter pain relief medication, preferably anti-inflammatories, and
  • Staying off your feet where possible to give your foot time to heal and recover.
Podiatry appointments can be booked via our Valewood Clinic Reception.

What to do when I have Plantar Fasciitis symptoms playing sport?

It’s hard when you’re suddenly riddled with pain mid-quarter or during a sporting game, either forcing you to push through the pain or stop playing. While you’re experiencing pain mid-game we encourage you to stop and rest your feet when you can.

Icing your feet during break times and stretching / rolling out the plantar fasciitis should assist immediately. It’s always important to stretch and warm up the muscles properly prior to playing any sport.

How can I prevent my Plantar Fasciitis pain when I wake up in the morning?

Waking up and being afraid to experience pain when you stand up is common among plantar fasciitis suffers! Try stretching out your calves and foot arches before getting out of bed and have a golf ball handy to step straight onto and roll out the muscle. If you’re getting to the point of worrying before getting out of bed, please contact one of our caring GP’s to refer you to our podiatrist.  Getting sound advice from a specialist is important to help with your recovery.

Sore feet ? This may be Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain). Contact the Valewood Clinic and book an appointment with the Podiatrist.

When will I recover?

Most people, undertaking an active recovery and treatment plan from a podiatrist, can see results within weeks and recover in months. It will depend on the severity of the case and the initial causes of the inflammation as to how long it will take.  Each patient is treated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Call us on (03) 9560 6655 or book online.

Book your favourite doctor faster using our online booking system or the HotDoc App

Our booking system is a secure, fast and easy way for you to book a doctor online anytime.

The HotDoc App is available on iOS and Android.