Each year, more than 2 million Americans visit a podiatrist about heel pain. Though common, without treatment, heel pain can affect your mobility and keep you from exercise or other physical activities. At Performance Footcare of New York, PC, board-certified podiatrist Bryon Butts, DPM, offers several advanced treatment options for heel pain, including radial shockwave therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, and amniotic stem cell injections. To make an appointment at the practice in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, or Lake Success, New York, call the nearest office today or schedule online.
What is heel pain?
Heel pain is an umbrella condition that refers to any discomfort felt at the back of your foot directly beneath your ankle. Often, heel pain occurs due to overuse during exercise, but it can also point to a more serious underlying health problem.
If you regularly experience heel pain and it doesn’t respond to at-home treatments like ice, rest, or over-the-counter shoe inserts, don’t wait to make an appointment at Performance Footcare of New York, PC.
What are some common causes of heel pain?
Heel pain occurs for various reasons, including:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Sprains and strains
- Fractures
- Achilles tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Arthritis
You might also experience heel pain due to osteochondrosis, a group of disorders that affect healthy bone growth in children and teens.
When should I visit a podiatrist about heel pain?
Most cases of heel pain resolve on their own with conservative, at-home treatments like ice and over-the-counter pain medication. That said, certain types of heel pain require immediate attention. That’s especially true if your pain is severe, starts suddenly, or is associated with significant swelling.
How is heel pain diagnosed?
To diagnose heel pain, Dr. Butts reviews your medical history, physically examines your heel, and asks about your symptoms, including their severity, when they started, and if any activities like work or exercise make them worse.
Next, Dr. Butts gently presses on your heel to locate the source of your discomfort. He might also ask you to stand up or walk around the exam room. If these tests don’t provide enough information about your condition, Dr. Butts orders X-rays or an MRI.
How is heel pain treated?
At Performance Footcare of New York, PC, Dr. Butts offers a variety of safe and minimally invasive treatments to manage heel pain. He might recommend:
- Radial shockwave therapy
- Extracorporeal pulse activation technology (EPAT)
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Amniotic stem cell injections
If conservative measures don’t significantly reduce your symptoms, you might benefit from surgery. Dr. Butts offers several types of minimally invasive surgery for heel pain, including the TENEX® and TOPAZ® procedures.
TENEX and TOPAZ are outpatient operations that require smaller incisions than traditional open surgery. That allows for quicker recoveries, smaller scars, and a reduced risk of complications.
To receive treatment for heel pain at Performance Footcare of New York, PC, call the nearest office today or schedule online.