Heel pain - plantar fasciitis

The internet is flooded with advice for heel pain, unfortunately I think the advice given is outdated and can definitely be improved upon.

In my experience, while the pain is mostly felt in the sole of the heel, the location of the actual injury can often be in other areas of the leg. These are called hypersensitivity sites or trigger sites. By treating the trigger sites you can get to the cause of your heel pain. It is really useful to use the following site You can see the locations of the main trigger sites here - http://www.triggerpoints.net/symptom/heel-pain .

Here’s my 4-point list for treating heel pain :

1. HEAT - For treatment of the heel pain, including the trigger sites (to find these please see the find my pain page on my website), why not try heat rather than ice? Your muscles will usually respond much better to heat than they would with ice, so instead apply heat using a simple hot water bottle or with a microwave heat bag? For best results you should remember to apply the heat to the muscles affected and not just to the site of pain.

2. ​TAPE - Trigger sites can be released through manual therapy and dry needling. If the heel pain is severe then applying sports tape (kinesiology tape) such as Rocktape. It can have many beneficial effects supporting the muscle or joint, improving circulation and gives immediate pain relief. Here is a video showing one way to apply sports tape to help with heel pain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWegHd8Sv2I ;

3. MOVEMENT - Often, the best thing you can do is to simply moderate your exercise, for example if you normally run on the pavement, you could try adding a mix of softer surfaces.

4. LISTEN - Lastly, orthotics (like arch supports) are often over-prescribed. If you have been prescribed them and you are finding them too uncomfortable, then listen to your body and stop using them!

I wish you a fast recovery from your heel pain!