Foot pain.
Find the cause. Fix the problem.
Heel pain, arch pain, a niggle that won't settle, whatever it is, it's telling you something. We work out what, then treat it at the source, so it actually goes away rather than coming back.
Pain always has a cause
Foot and heel pain is one of the most common reasons people come to see us, and, more often than not, one of the most fixable. The mistake is treating the ache instead of the reason for it. Rest and painkillers might quieten things down, but if the cause is still there, the pain finds its way back.
Most foot pain comes down to how your feet and lower limbs are built, and how they cope with the load you put through them. Work that out, and you can usually fix the problem at the source rather than just muting it.
What's usually behind it
Foot pain shows up in different ways, and the right treatment depends entirely on the cause. A few of the things we see most:
That stabbing pain in the heel with your first steps out of bed is the classic sign of plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes, and one of the most treatable.
Aches that build during or after exercise often point to tendon strain or an overuse injury. Common if you've upped your training, and very recoverable.
Pain and stiffness in the joints of the foot or ankle can come from arthritis or simple wear over time. We help you stay comfortable and moving.
We also see ball-of-foot pain, Achilles trouble, ankle sprains that never quite settled, and pain that traces back to flat feet or high arches. If you're sore and can't say why, working that out is the whole point of an assessment.
How we work out what's wrong
Finding the cause is a matter of looking, not guessing. We start with your story, where it hurts, when it began, what makes it better or worse, and what your days actually involve. Then we look at how your body moves under load.
That means watching you walk, checking the movement and strength of the joints and muscles through your feet, ankles and legs, and seeing how your footwear is wearing down. Put together, it shows us the mechanics behind your pain, and points clearly to how to put it right.
By the end of your first appointment you'll know what's causing your pain and exactly how we're going to deal with it, no vague reassurance, no guesswork.
Treating the cause, not the symptom
Because foot pain has so many causes, there's no single fix, and anyone offering you one before they've assessed you is guessing. Once we know what's driving it, treatment is built around that: often a targeted programme of strengthening and stretching, changes to your footwear, hands-on treatment to settle things, or orthotics to correct the mechanics behind it. Usually it's a combination, adjusted as you improve.
For some stubborn conditions, an injection to calm pain and inflammation can be the thing that lets recovery get going. Where it's a sensible option, we'll walk you through what it involves and what to expect, the decision is always yours, made with the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the cause and how long you've had it, some things settle in a couple of weeks, others take longer to undo. After your assessment we'll give you an honest, realistic timeframe rather than a vague promise.
Rarely. Long-standing pain often just means the real cause was never properly identified and dealt with. Finding it is exactly what the assessment is for.
No. Rest might ease the symptom for a while, but if we stop there the pain comes back. Our job is to find the reason for it and treat that.
Only if they'll genuinely help. They're one option among several, and we recommend them when your assessment shows a mechanical problem they'll actually correct, never as a default.
Yes. We treat active people at every level, and a big part of that is getting you back to your sport without the injury simply returning.