Waxahachie Podiatrist Helps Stop Plantar Fasciitis Heel Pain

Get 5-Star-Rated Plantar Fasciitis Treatment In Waxahachie, Tx

Does your heel hurt when you get out of bed in the morning? Do you have to limp when you get up to use the bathroom? Family Foot & Ankle Centers are your local heel pain specialists. Your Waxahachie podiatrists have been successfully treated thousands of patients for this painful condition. Heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis, is one of the most frequent reasons that people will seek out the treatment of a foot specialist.

At the Waxahachie location of Family Foot & Ankle Centers, your foot doctors will diagnose and treat your heel pain quickly and provide you with the relief that you have been looking for. You do not have to live with heel pain.

Why Does My Heel Hurt?

The most common cause of pain in the heel is due to a condition called plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is the ligament that supports the arch and attaches into the heel bone. This ligament is under a lot of strain when walking and standing. It commonly becomes strained and inflamed at its attachment into the bottom of the heel bone.

When this occurs, you will notice pain in your heel when you are walking. Whenever you are at rest, the ligament attempts to heal by shortening and repairing itself. This shortened ligament will be painful when you step up on it as it stretches back out.  A lot of damage can occur when this ligament is forced to stretch back out by your body weight and small tears can occur within the ligament. After several steps, your pain may improve, but those first few steps can be excruciating.

Your Waxahachie podiatrists use advanced diagnostic ultrasound to painlessly visualize the plantar fascia ligament and examine it for tears and inflammation.  Other causes of heel pain, such as a heel spur or stress fracture, can then be ruled out.

As you can see, making the correct heel pain diagnosis can be difficult for all but the most experienced foot specialist. Our award-winning podiatrists at Family Foot & Ankle Centers have both the expertise and experience needed to bring you heel pain relief.

How Is Plantar Fasciitis Treated?

• Prescription anti-inflammatory medicine– Prescription NSAIDs help to reduce pain and inflammation and may be used as an initial treatment. NSAIDs by themselves are rarely enough to treat plantar fasciitis successfully.
• Custom orthotics or arch supports– Supporting the arch helps relieve the strain on the plantar fascia ligament and allows it to heal more quickly.
• Avoid barefoot walking and non-supportive shoes– The fascia needs to supported and protected from excessive stretching.
• Stretching exercises– It is important to stretch the calf muscles throughout the day to reduce strain on the fascia ligament.
• Plantar fasciitis night splint– This splint is worn at night while sleeping and passively stretches the plantar fascia ligament to reduce strain and pressure when you stand up.
• Icing the heel–Applying an ice pack to the bottom of the heel for 20 minutes every 2 or 3 hours helps reduce both inflammation and discomfort.
• Reduce activity–Avoid exercises or activities that irritate the heel such as running or walking on the treadmill. Instead, consider a stationary bike or an elliptical machine for exercise. 
• Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT)– This has been one of the most successful heel pain treatments in Waxahachie. This treatment modality uses pressure waves to accelerate the healing process.

Plantar fasciitis can be a very frustrating, painful heel injury, but your Waxahachie podiatrists can have helped thousands of patients just like you be their heel pain.

With today’s newer treatments for plantar fasciitis, surgery is rarely needed. Less than 5% of patients treated at Family Foot & Ankle Centers need any type of surgery. Although plantar fascia surgery has been extremely successful, it is always a last resort.

Experience Our Award-Winning Care for Heel Pain Relief in Waxahachie, TX, Today!

If you or a loved one are having heel pain, schedule an appointment today by calling us at 972-597-4132 or by clicking here to use our convenient online form. We offer same-day appointments and have bilingual Spanish-speaking professionals on staff for your convenience. During your appointment, our team will be happy to answer all your questions about our treatments, our office, our flexible payment options, and anything else you may want to know about us! Call today – we can’t wait to help you live your life pain-free!

As the premier podiatry centers in Waxahachie, Corsicana and Ennis, TX, our foot doctors and team at Family Foot & Ankle Centers also provide 5-star podiatry care to patients in our surrounding areas.  We proudly serve patients in Navarro and Ellis counties and surrounding areas including Red Oak, Midlothian, Desoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Duncanville, Arlington and Mansfield. The Foot Specialists at Family Foot & Ankle Centers are improving lives one foot at a time.