Plantar fasciitis - That pain in your feet, when you get out of bed! How we assess it...

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common foot conditions that we see in a podiatry clinic. It is typically described by patients as pain at the heel first thing in the morning or after rest. It can also be insidious and often described as getting worse towards the end of the day.

Accurate diagnosis is essential to effective treatment outcomes. Most cases can be diagnosed by your symptoms. At Lower-limb we take this process much further and assess the structure of the plantar fascia using diagnostic ultrasound. A normal, healthy plantar fascia should be approx 4mm in thickness at the base of the heel. Using ultrasound we can assess for rupture, tears and degeneration. Scar tissue in the plantar fascia is common in stubborn cases that have lasted for longer than 3 months. The plantar fascia in these cases can measure much thicker than 4mm and therefore the treatment plan needs adjusted.

Once we have scanned your foot we need to complete a biomechanics and gait analysis to rule out any gait related problems. Many cases of plantar fasciitis are caused by poor foot mechanics. We assess this using by a digital gait analysis, where the patient walks on a treadmill for approx 4-5 minutes with gait sensors that provides us with accurate data of your walk. We are able to quickly and reliably assess your biomechanics from the hip down and determine the underlying issues.

The secret to a great treatment plan is always via a detailed assessment, put your feet in our hands and let us take care of you. To get to the bottom of your heel pain, please book in for a "Lower Limb Injury Assessment" by clicking the button at the top of the page.

Best wishes

Paul :)