Other Foot and Ankle Conditions

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Plantar fasciitis is common cause of heel pain. It’s due to  degeneration of the plantar fascia, which is a band of thick tough  tissue that runs from heel, along the sole of the foot, to the base of  the toes. It forms the arch of the foot and helps you walk and run by  stabilising the foot joints and acting as a shock absorber.

The plantar fascia takes a lot of stress – every time you take a  step, a force equal to three times your body weight passes through it.  This makes it prone to injury and damage. The damage is usually in the  form of very small tears where the fascia joins onto the heel bone.The  plantar fascia has a very poor blood supply and so these tears heal very  slowly.

Plantar fasciitis is common in runners and people engaged in  running/jumpingactivities (eg football, basketball, tennis, ballet). If  you spend a lot of time on your feet, especially if you’re carrying  extra weight, increases your chance of developing plantar fasciitis.  Having a very high arch or flat feet also increase your risk.

If you have plantar fasciitis you may also have heel spurs (also  called calcaneal spurs). These are calcium deposits that occur where the  fascia is most degenerative (on your heel). They don’t cause your heel  pain, but are due to the ageing process going on in your  plantar  fascia. Many people have heel spurs without feeling any pain.

Plantar fasciitis occurs equally in women and men. It is most common in people aged 40–60 years of age.

The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:

• A sharp stabbing pain in your heels
• Pain that is usually worse when taking your first steps after  getting out of bed, but may also occur after standing for a long time,  after exercising or after sitting for a while the pain may come and go.

Plantar fasciitis may be treated with self-care such as losing weight  (if needed), wearing supportive shoes and choosing low-impact  activities (eg swimming) or avoiding hard surfaces. Your doctor may  suggest additional treatment options for plantar fasciitis such as:

• therapy (eg physiotherapy and stretching exercises, massage, shoe implants, splints)
• medication (eg anti-inflammatories, steroid injection into the heel, botulinum toxin injections)
• surgery – is incredibly rare as this condition settles in the majority of patients after 12-18 months.

Our specialists will work with you  to create the best treatment plan for your particular situation.

Surgery is generally reserved for patient with symptoms that don’t  improve with other treatments. Surgery involves releasing the plantar  fascia from the heel bone. It may also involve removing heel spurs. 

Morton's neuroma occurs when a nerve at the base of the toe becomes irritated and swells  up. It usually develops between the third and fourth toes because of  pressure or trauma to the area. Tight, narrow shoes can aggravate the  condition.  

 Pain from a neuroma is usually felt on the ball of your foot. You may also feel pain or numbness in your toes.  

If you still have pain after trying non-invasive procedures.  Your doctor may recommend injections of a corticosteroid medication can help decrease inflammation  of the nerve. If the condition worsens, surgery may also be an option  to release tissue around the nerve.