Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis

Understanding Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciopathy (commonly called plantar fasciitis) occurs when the thick connective tissue band supporting your arch becomes overloaded at its attachment on the heel bone (calcaneus). Because other conditions—such as plantar fat pad atrophy, calcaneal stress reactions, Baxter’s nerve entrapment, or insertional Achilles tendinopathy—can mimic plantar fasciitis, an accurate clinical diagnosis is essential before starting treatment.

Common Symptoms & Presentation

• Sharp or stabbing pain under the heel with your first steps out of bed in the morning
• Pain that warms up slightly after walking for 5–10 minutes, then returns as a deep ache later in the day
• Tenderness when pressing the inside underside of the heel bone or along the arch
• Increased discomfort after standing on hard surfaces, walking barefoot on tiles, or increasing running load

Underlying Biomechanical & Clinical Causes

• Repetitive tensile overload of the plantar fascia from foot posture (excessive pronation or rigid high arches)
• Reduced ankle dorsiflexion and tight calf (gastrocnemius-soleus) musculature increasing forefoot and arch strain
• Sudden increases in walking, running, or occupational standing hours
• Unsupportive or worn-out footwear that fails to buffer ground reaction forces

How Eternal Podiatry Assesses This Condition

Dr Sumit Arvind performs a structured clinical evaluation including anatomical palpation to differentiate plantar fascia pain from fat pad or neural sources, ankle and first-MTP joint range-of-motion testing, calf strength endurance checks, and video gait analysis.