Heel Pain Treatment in Chesterfield, MO

Heel pain, often the result of Plantar Fasciitis, can be a painful and long-lasting condition without the proper diagnosis and treatment.

Because there are multiple potential causes of heel pain, it’s important to visit Dr. Adam Rammacher at Woods Mill Orthopedics and have an honest discussion about where exactly the pain is, how severe the pain is, how often it occurs throughout the day, and any other questions you may have.

Dr. Adam Rammacher is a board-certified podiatrist specializing in the treatment of heel and arch pain in patients. If you are experiencing symptoms of heel pain caused by Plantar Fasciitis, contact our orthopedic surgery center in Chesterfield and O’Fallon at (314) 576-7013. Dr. Rammacher provides a variety of non-surgical treatments for heel pain and will take the time to discuss your condition and the treatment option best for you.

What is Heel Pain?

Heel pain can be described as pain or discomfort around the underside or back of the heel. And although heel pain rarely is a pre-indicator of a more serious condition, it can cause great discomfort and interference to your daily lifestyle.

What Causes Heel Pain?

In addition to heel spurs and plantar fasciitis, heel pain can derive from a ruptured achilles tendon, or it may be a result of overextending the heel at an unnatural angle, known as excessive pronation.

Here is a list of other possible causes of heel pain:

• Stress fractures
• Inflammatory joint disease
• Arthritis
• Bone tumor
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)

Another cause of heel pain is wearing unsupportive footwear when walking on hard or uneven surfaces. Sandals and slippers, for example, provide little foot support so it’s important to wear sneakers that cover the whole foot when walking on these types of surfaces.

What Are the Symptoms?

Depending on the activeness of your lifestyle, you may experience the following symptoms of heel pain:

• Gradual pain over days or weeks
• Pain at the bottom of the heel
• Pain that comes when standing up
• Pain at the arch (bottom) of the foot
• Swelling of the heel

Due to the commonality of this kind of pain,  it’s important to not overreact to the pain and immediately assume it’s serious. Most of the time, there are treatments that can be purchased over the counter or with simple exercises, but it’s important to discuss with Dr. Adam Rammacher to be sure.

Are Non-Surgical Treatments Available?

The key to treating heel pain is to try the simple remedies first, such as exercise, over-the-counter medication, and simple lifestyle changes. Some additional preliminary treatments include:

• Stretching exercises the foot
• Ice
• Wearing protective footwear outside (even in the backyard/front yard)
• Medication- Ibuprofen, Tylenol
• Limiting outdoor activities

If these treatments don’t work and the pain persists after a couple weeks, then it may be time to visit the podiatrist who may recommend one of these non-surgical treatments:

• Injection therapy
• Physical therapy
• Adding pads or medical tape to protect and secure the foot in place
• Removable walking cast
• Custom orthopedic device (for day or night use)