Treatment for Heel Pain in Johannesburg
Yasera Hajee Podiatry, based in Randburg, Johannesburg, offers treatment and relief of heel pain for patients in Johannesburg and surrounds.
Heel pain can have a number of causes including the following common causes among others:
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Severs Disease – affecting mostly children between the ages of 7 and 14
- Heel Spurs
- Bursitis – Retrocalcaneal Bursitis
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis that does not respond to stretching or conventional treatments can be caused by straining foot tissue under load, which needs to be identified through a bio mechanical assessment in order to isolate the mechanical fault responsible for the condition.
Assessments include the use of :
- Gait analysis in order to measure where excess load is placed on the foot
- 3D foot scanning is valuable in order to identify the mechanical workings of the foot’s arch while also identifying any unusual structures
- Testing loads on the foot’s fascia, the patient’s calf structure as well as adjoining structures
- We may also conduct a historical analysis so as to identify movement habits and patterns that may be contributing to the condition.
Conventional Treatments include
- Orthotics which could include shoe inserts or braces intended to support the foot.
- Cortisone injections
- Exercise programs
Plantar Fasciitis attributed to load related problems often does not respond to conventional treatments such as soft tissue release.
Heel Spurs
A heel spur is a painful foot condition caused by calcium build up underneath or at the back of one’s heel where the plantular fascia ligament or the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel. Heel spurs will be confirmed by an X-ray.
Treatments may include
- Shoe inserts,
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Daily foot care routine dedicated to minimising pain
- Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles Tendonitis and Achilles Tendinosis
Two conditions that affect the Achilles tendon are Achilles tendonitis and Achilles tendinosis. The former is often attributed to inflammation related Achilles tendon pain at the back of the heel caused by tight calf muscles or increased body weight.
Treatments
Shockwave therapy is an effective treatment for these conditions.
Severs Disease
Severs disease is a condition affecting growing children, caused by inflammation of a child’s foot growth plate at the back of the child’s heel.
This condition requires a detailed assessment by a podiatrist and treatments may include orthotics or modified shoes as well as exercises.
As the child grows, the condition can be expected to resolve naturally over time.
