My Heel Hurts! What Should I Do?
We’re delighted to use MLS® laser in our clinic, which can quickly help reduce the pain and inflammation associated with plantar fasciitis.
Heel pain can be a right pain in the… heel. Plantar fasciitis is a common problem affecting the bottom of the foot, causing that annoying pain near the middle of your heel and sometimes extending into the arch. It can affect just one foot or occasionally both at the same time.
A few quick tips to help
Symptoms often associated with plantar fasciitis are pain when getting up first thing in the morning that eases after a few steps, and pain triggered when you stand up after a period of rest that again eases after some movement. A few quick tips to help yourself immediately are:
- Roll a tennis or lacrosse ball under your foot to massage tense tissues
- Chill a water bottle and roll it under your foot to calm down any inflammation
- Strengthen the muscles in your foot by picking up a pencil or towel with your toes
However, there are many different things which can cause heel pain. It’s really important to know exactly what is causing your heel to hurt before you start any treatment plan, so you don’t waste time and money on things that won’t work. We highly recommend booking in for an initial MSK assessment with us at Chiltern Wellbeing, where we can carry out a full assessment, give you an accurate diagnosis, and come up with a treatment plan to get you pain-free and back to your usual activities as quickly as possible.
What we might suggest
When you come to visit us, some of the things we might suggest for your treatment plan include:
- Orthotics (insoles)
- Taping to support your foot
- Changing your footwear
- Modifying your activities to reduce stress on the sore tissues
- Laser therapy
- Exercises to strengthen the affected muscles
- Steroid injection therapy
What is MLS laser therapy?
MLS stands for “multi-wave lock system”. It produces a continuous pulse of fixed wavelengths to promote healing. MLS laser not only reduces pain, but also lowers inflammation and swelling and accelerates the natural healing process.
We are delighted to use MLS® laser in our clinic, which could quickly help to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with plantar fasciitis. Patients love our laser because it’s a totally painless and completely safe treatment — an effective alternative to anti-inflammatory medication and more invasive options such as shockwave therapy or steroid injections.
If something doesn’t feel right, don’t put up with it. Book an appointment with our HCPC-registered podiatrists and we’ll get to the root of the problem.
