Given the amount of physical forces feet endure and their role in movement, foot injuries and conditions happen often, including those that cause heel and arch pain. There is good news, though – we can help you overcome heel and arch problems here at Eagle-Summit Foot & Ankle. Even better is the fact that conservative care is often successful, with surgery being unnecessary for a majority of cases.

Common Causes of Heel Pain

There are various reasons a patient might be experiencing heel pain, but some of the more common ones include:

• Plantar fasciitis – The most common source of heel pain, this condition develops when the tissue running along the bottom of the foot (the plantar fascia) sustains minor tears and becomes inflamed.
• Heel spurs – There are many interesting processes that take place within the human body. One example is the development of bone spurs. For an assortment of reasons, the body makes calcium deposits that build up on bone tissue, including on the underside of the heel.
• Sever’s disease – The name is deceptive—it is not a “disease”—but Sever’s is the most common source of heel pain for adolescents, especially those who are physically active. This condition stems from a variance of growth processes between the heel bone and its connective tissues.

Causes of Arch Pain

Different factors might be at work when pain is experienced in a foot arch, including structural imbalance, injury, or even plantar fasciitis. Injuries that result in arch pain are often related to the arch’s ligaments, tendons, and bones that have become weakened from overuse. Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) in particular, is an injury that can result in a painful condition. When we discuss structural imbalance as the primary cause of a pained arch, it is usually foot arches that are either too high (cavus foot) or too low (flatfoot).

Treating Heel and Arch Pain

The specific treatment we use to take away a patient’s heel pain depends greatly on the specific issue causing that pain. Our approach is to use conservative care when possible, which consists of elements like:

• The body is remarkably skilled at healing injured areas. When this is taking place, it is important to rest so as to prevent further damage, while also allowing the affected body part to heal completely.
• Icing is used to reduce both pain and swelling in the injured area. Of course, it is necessary to wrap the ice or ice pack in a thin towel to prevent damaging the skin.
• Heel pain can be the result of tight tissues, so stretches are an effective way to improve this situation. The Achilles tendon, connective tissues, and calf muscle all benefit from a proper stretching routine.
• There are many cases where a patient has developed foot or ankle pain on account of ill-fitting or worn out footwear. Replacing these shoes with ones that are supportive and fit well can help reduce heel pain and risk of further injury.
• Custom orthotics. We may prescribe custom orthotics that are crafted to work with your unique feet and biomechanical processes to correct conditions that cause heel pain.

Treating foot arch pain also depends on the root cause of the pain. As is the case with treating heel pain, this can often be done through the use of conservative methods. These include rest, ice, orthotic devices, stretches, and medications (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). In rare cases, a surgical procedure might be needed to relieve severe cases of plantar fasciitis, but we will avoid this if at all possible.

Heel and Arch Pain Treatment in Avon & Frisco, CO

No matter if you are suffering from heel or arch pain, our professionals here at Eagle-Summit Foot & Ankle are ready to assist you. This starts from your phone call with our friendly staff and extends all the way through your recovery instructions from our doctors. Come in and experience the high level of service we provide to all of our patients.

Schedule your appointment with us online today or call our Frisco office at (970) 668-4565 or our Avon, CO office at (970) 949-0500. We look forward to the opportunity to helping restore your feet and ankles back to health!