Singapore Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic has a dedicated Heel Pain Clinic for the rapid assessment and effective treatment of heel pain or plantar fasciitis.
One in ten people will experience heel pain and for many, the problem will have a very significant impact upon their lives.
At our Heel Pain clinic, you can have all your assessment, x-rays, diagnosis and treatment during your first visit.
Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis Pain
How is heel pain treated?
At theĀ Heel Pain Clinic, we see many patients who are still in significant pain despite trying oral medications. For this group of patients we offer:
- Cortisone injectionĀ – To reduce the inflammation of the affected area.
- Extracorporeal shockwave therapyĀ – Shockwave stimulates the body’s own mechanism of healing, to allow heel pain to heal naturally.
- Platelet rich plasma injectionĀ – Patient’s own blood, specially prepared platelet are taken and re-injected into the affected area. Platelets release “growth factors” and facilitate the healing of tendons.
About Heel Pain
The plantar fascia under the sole of the foot can be partly torn or strained. This can happen suddenly, but is usually a gradual problem which affects one or both feet. It can happen at any age, but is especially common in middle-aged men.
There are two main types of heel pain, occurring in different places. A small number of people will have pain in both areas of the heel.
The ‘grumbling’ Achilles ā non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy
The ‘grumbling’ Achilles is known medically as non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Although a rupture of the Achilles is well known, it is actually more common to have what is known as a grumbling Achilles. The pain is felt at the back of the heel above where the Achilles tendon joins the bone. It feels stiff and swollen, particularly in the morning and can prevent the sufferer from taking part in sport. Sometimes the pain is lower down where the tendon joins the bone. This Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is less common.
Policeman’s heel ā plantar fasciitis
Policeman’s heel is known medically asĀ plantar fasciitisĀ because it occurs in a tendon called the fascia. The fascia is a strong band of tissue stretching from your heel to your toe bones. It supports the arch of your foot and acts as a shock absorber in the foot. Pain is felt at the bottom of the heel where it connects with the ground in each step. Pain and stiffness often leaves patients “hobbling” for the first few minutes in the morning. The pain can be severe, especially after standing for a long time. Plantar fasciitis is very common indeed and one of the main reasons for seeing a foot specialist.
What you Feel When you Have Plantar Fasciitis
There is a dull or sharp pain under the foot, which either spreads the length of the foot or concentrates in the spot where the plantar fascia joints the calcaneus. If you press it, the painful area feels tender. You feel pain when you go up on your toes and stretch the sole of the foot. In some cases, just putting your foot to the floor causes pain, especially if you have been sitting or lying down for some time. Usually there is no pain when you are at rest with no pressure on your foot.
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis Pain
Stiff-soled shoes are a common cause, alongside altered foot biomechanics. The pain can be caused or influenced by various inflammatory conditions: for instance, in teenage boys it can be a symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis.
