Articles

23rd July 2026

HEEL PAIN: The Villain We Love Defeating


Every superhero has a famous foe. Batman has the Joker, Superman has Lex Luthor, and the Avengers have Thanos.

As podiatrists, our greatest nemesis is heel pain—but helping patients overcome it is what we do best.

Plantar heel pain affects up to 1 in 10 adults and can make everyday activities like getting out of bed, standing at work, walking, or exercising painful and frustrating.

Common causes include:
✔ Sudden increases in activity
✔ Unsupportive footwear
✔ Tight or weak calf muscles
✔ Long hours standing
✔ Flat feet or high arches
✔ Age-related changes

The good news? Heel pain is highly treatable.

At Acacia Podiatry, we use evidence-based treatments including:
✅ Shockwave Therapy
✅ Custom Foot Orthotics
✅ Footwear Advice
✅ Strength & Conditioning Programs

💡 Myth Buster: Heel spurs are often blamed for heel pain, but they're usually a sign that the heel has been under excessive load—not the actual cause of your pain.

Understanding why your heel hurts is the first step toward getting back to the activities you love.

If heel pain is slowing you down, we're here to help.

📞 Book an appointment with Acacia Podiatry and take the first step towards pain-free movement.

#HeelPain #PlantarFasciitis #PlantarFasciopathy #FootPain #Podiatry #AcaciaPodiatry #ShockwaveTherapy #Orthotics #RunningInjury #HealthyFeet #FootHealth #MovePainFree


Heel pain / Plantar Fasciopathy

As podiatrists, our greatest and most persistent nemesis is plantar heel pain. And just like Batman always finds a way to outsmart the Joker, we’re pretty good here at Acacia Podiatry at defeating heel pain for good.

Plantar heel pain is one of the most common foot conditions we see as it affects up to 10% of adults at any given time. Heel pain can make the simplest tasks like getting out of bed, standing at work, going for a walk or run feel painful and take the joy out of doing the things we normally find enjoyable.

So what is the plantar fascia?

The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous sheet with mild elasticity, spanning from the base of the heel through to the toes, and it’s job is to support your arch, absorb shock when you walk/run, and helps your foot function like the springy, efficient lever when stepping forwards. The fascia in adults is normally only up to 3mm thick at most, so it is very strong for it’s size! 


Why does it get irritated?

The plantar fascia is incredibly strong, but it is not invincible. The plantar fascia is working hard to absorb stress and load every time you walk, run, jump and stand. When this load becomes too much and too repetitive to more than what it can comfortably handle, the fascia can become irritated and cause heel and arch pain.


The most common reasons the plantar fascia can become irritated:

  • Sudden increases in activity
  • Starting a new training program, walking more on holidays, or returning to sport can spike the load on the fascia.
  • Unsupportive footwear
  • Flat, worn‑out, or hard shoes force the fascia to absorb more shock than what it can tolerate 
  • Reduced calf flexibility or strength
  • Tight or weak calves change how the foot loads, increasing strain on the heel.
  • Prolonged standing
  • Long hours on hard surfaces can fatigue the fascia over time.
  • Foot posture factors
  •  High arches, flat feet, or anything that alters your mechanics can shift extra load to the heel.
  • Too little loading (exercise) for the plantar fascia
  • If the fascia is not adequately loaded/strengthened, it can lose strength making it unable to tolerate normal daily loading 
  • Age‑related changes
  •  As we get older, the fascia becomes less elastic and more prone to irritation. The fat cushioning pads also become less thick causing the fascia to absorb more load


The good news is that you don’t have to fight heel pain alone and we can help 

Here’s how we tackle heel pain with a tailored, evidence‑based approach:

  • Shockwave therapy
  • A non‑invasive treatment that stimulates healing and reduces stubborn pain.
  • Custom foot orthotics 
  • Designed in clinic to help support the foot to reduce loading to the irritated fascia to help improve function and reduce pain.
  • Footwear guidance
  • Because the right shoes can make a world of difference by absorbing shock.
  • Strength & conditioning
  • Targeted exercises to rebuild resilience and stop the pain from coming back, as well as get you stronger than before the injury!


A podiatrist who is skilled and experienced in treating heel pain will be able to help you understand what is causing pain (diagnosis), why pain has occurred (the cause) and help you create a plan to get you back to doing the things you love pain free 

 

Myth busters - do heel Spurs really cause pain?

 

One of the most common things we hear as Podiatrists is “my heel spur is causing my foot pain”


And most of the time, this isn’t exactly correct 


So what is a heel spur?

A heel spur is a small, bony growth that can form on the underside of your heel bone where the plantar fascia attaches. It often shows up on X‑rays as a little hook or pointy bump, and although how dramatic it looks, they are most of the time NOT the main source of pain 


Heel spurs are formed over time when the heel bone (calcaneus) gets exposed to repeated pulling, tension and compression loading from the soft tissues around it. This is the same type of loading that can cause soft tissue injuries like plantar fasciitis (heel pain) 


That means that heel spurs should be considered a symptom of too much loading to the heel. Too many people think that they need to have their heel spur surgically removed, and yes sometimes this does need to happen but only very rarely. For most people, treating the real cause of heel pain is the best way to get back to moving and enjoying life pain free


A podiatrist who is skilled and experienced in treating heel pain will be able to help you understand what is causing pain (diagnosis), why pain has occurred (the cause) and help you create a plan to get you back to doing the things you love pain free