Feet – You may not think much about them until they hurt. And when they do, you want relief. To get the right treatment, you need to know the problem.
If your pain is in your heel, you may have Plantar Fasciitis – most common ailment among the young and old. Referred to as heel pain but has classic symptoms such as morning pain that is alleviated from continued walking. It is very common for those who are active runners or into exercising. Over stretching of the fascial band or ligament on the bottom of the heel will render minor tears that, if not addressed, will make this problem chronic. Best dealt with custom molded orthotics vs. OTC arch supports, along with physical therapy and ice. Depending on the level of pain and duration of problem consultation is much needed to rectify the problem.
Heel Spur are another source of foot pain. This is a condition of small or medium size bone spur that grows along the bottom of the heel and is often mistaken for being the cause of heel pain. For some it may be normal to have a spur and may never be symptomatic. Discussion with our doctors will allow the delineation between the heel spur being the issue vs. plantar fasciitis.
Growth Plate (Children) is a condition is similar to but often mistaken as plantar fasciitis with heel pain that is noticeable after activity but mainly occurs in children who possess growth plates. These plates are to allow our bones to grow accordingly with our height and body shape. It represents over use injury to the area of growth plate which will limit the ability to walk properly and create a limp in the child. This will need medical attention to prevent further damage to the growing bone of the child. X-rays will depict the growth plate and/or injury to the area.
At Chicago DPM patients can get treatment for discomfort using medications, custom orthotics, and surgery. Patients can visit one of two locations: Evanston Podiatric Surgeons or Mag Mile Foot and Ankle Institute.
www.chicagodpm.com