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Plantar Heel Pain
Plantar heel pain, often called plantar fasciitis, is the most common cause of heel pain in adults. The signature is those first steps in the morning, or after sitting — sharp, then easing as you get going. It can be stubborn and often runs for months, but it responds well to loading the tissue progressively rather than only stretching and resting it.
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Does this sound like you?
Most people have several of these, not all of them.
- Sharp pain under the heel on the first steps in the morning
- Pain returning after sitting, then easing with walking
- Aching that builds again after long periods on your feet
- Tenderness to press on the inner side of the heel
- Discomfort walking barefoot on hard floors
Why it happens
- A rapid increase in walking or running volume
- Prolonged standing on hard surfaces, particularly at work
- Reduced ankle range and calf tightness
- Unsupportive or worn-out footwear
- Higher body weight, and more common in the forties to sixties
What we would do about it
Roughly in this order — each step waits for the one before it.
- Progressive loading of the plantar fascia and calf, which outperforms stretching alone
- Calf strengthening and ankle range work
- Footwear advice and temporary support or taping
- Load management so standing and walking volume is controlled, not stopped
- Manual therapy and dry needling for symptom relief
- Realistic timeframes, since this generally takes months
See a doctor first if
- Your pain followed a significant injury
- It is getting worse rather than settling
- It comes with numbness, weakness or unexplained weight loss
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Symptoms overlap between conditions, so the right treatment depends on an assessment.
Stretching alone usually is not enough
Heel pain that has lasted months rarely settles with stretching and new shoes. Loading the tissue properly is what shifts it, and that needs a plan. Ask a question first, or call us on 0403 907 587.
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Other foot conditions we treat
Related reading: pain at the back of the heel instead, shin pain from running and ankle injuries.
General information only, not advice about your own problem — nothing here replaces an assessment. Source: Plantar Fasciitis on Physiopedia.
