Your body goes through a lot every single day. Your feet, especially, bear your weight and carry you around everywhere. But sometimes, it can be difficult to care for yourself amidst a hectic schedule. You ignore symptoms of slight pain until it becomes a chronic problem later. One such issue that is faced by many Sydneysiders is heel pain, which is commonly called plantar fasciitis. How do you identify its symptoms, and what kind of heel pain treatment in Sydney will work best? Check out this quick guide to know more about this ailment.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
The origin of this ailment stems from the ligament called the plantar fascia. This ligament is meant to absorb the pressure of your entire body. This ligament goes through some strain as you move around and do your daily activities. However, the moment you put too much pressure on your heel, it can damage the ligament. The area becomes inflamed and, therefore, can lead to severe discomfort.
In Sydney, a place with people hustling and working hard every day, and heel pain has become one of the health issues affecting the youth who jog every morning at Glebe Foreshore Track and the aged living in retirement communities in Paddington and Woollahra. Normal heel pain can be common if you’ve spent an entire day standing or walking. But to know whether it is a serious condition, you must look out for the following symptoms before going for heel pain treatment in Sydney:
- Constant pain at the bottom of your feet, near the heel. The pain usually is felt the most in the morning.
- Swelling in the heel, indicating inflammation of the ligament.
- You experience pain right after walking, moving, or doing exercise. Patients usually don’t feel pain during the activity, but right after they stop doing it.
- Chronic plantar fasciitis can also affect your calf muscles or your tendons. So, if you feel pain in your calf, it is generated from your heel.
Causes
There are several bases why you may be experiencing chronic heel pain. One of the major reasons is prolonged standing without any rest. Your heel carries your body’s weight, so if it doesn’t get to rest now and then, the pressure can cause damage to the ligament.
Another reason is not wearing the right kind of footwear. Not wearing the correct shoes will result in discomfort and affect your posture, walking, and overall foot health.
Athletes and runners also experience chronic heel pain if they don’t follow up their routine with a good cool-down session. When your body goes through such intense physical activities, it is essential to bring it down to a neutral state so that your body doesn’t remain in shock. You may be prone to plantar fasciitis when you don’t stretch properly.
Treatment
There are several methods by which you can cure your heel pain. You can do certain home remedies while speaking to health professionals and paediatric doctors. Here are some treatment methods you can follow to help with your pain.
- Massaging the heel with slight pressure regularly.
- Using orthopaedic foot soles to add more support to the heel.
- Icing the inflamed region can reduce the pain considerably.
- Regular stretching of the heel and physiotherapy have shown great results.
- If you seek heel pain treatment in Sydney, the doctor recommends shock wave therapy, essentially putting sound waves topically on the affected region.
Final Thoughts
Heel pain may seem like a common issue, but if not treated the right way, it may lead to serious issues that can stay very long. It is important to do specific exercises at home to ease the pain, but don’t hesitate to go to an expert. They’ll guide you so that you can live a pain-free life.
