hello my name is michael palfrey and i am a director and principal osteopath at the well-being center i'd like to talk to you about plantar fasciitis which is a common cause of heel pain it's often as a result of running or poor footwear or just overuse of the muscles and tendons in the bottom of the foot one of the characteristic symptoms that you get with plantar fasciitis is a very sharp pain around the heel when you first put your foot down when you get out of bed it can be quite a debilitating condition it does prevent people from partaking of the activities which they enjoy and if you are experiencing pain around the heel especially when you walk or run i would advise that you come and see one of the podiatrists here at the wellbeing center what they may well do is suggest that you have a diagnostic ultrasound scan which can image the plantar fascia and see whether there is any damage to it and there are a number of treatment options available to you these range from the more conservative options such as applying ice using non-steroidal anti-inflammatories maybe having some physiotherapy or an exercise program in some instances it is suggested that you have a steroid injection into the affected area or another treatment option available to you which is very safe non-invasive and highly effective is shock wave therapy so if you are experiencing heel pain and it's affecting your life and causing you to miss out on doing the things you'd like to do please call field well-being center and i'll speak to one of our podiatrists