How Podiatrists Can Help Patients Deal With Heel Pain

When you have a problem with your feet that's not going away, one of the best medical professionals you could see is a podiatrist. If you're planning to see one for heel pain in particular, here are some things they can do to help you find healing and long-term relief.

Provide an Accurate Diagnosis

To find an optimal treatment for heel pain, you need an official diagnosis. You can get one and feel confident in it being accurate if you work with a podiatrist. They deal with heel pain issues all the time and thus have plenty of insights on how it can develop in different demographics.

You just need to go in and let this foot specialist study your heel pain for a period of time. They'll run tests and look into your medical history to see what's going on. Maybe it's plantar fasciitis or another underlying condition that needs to be treated.

Make Shoe Recommendations

A lot of people face heel pain because they're simply not wearing the right type of shoes. If you fall into this category, help from a podiatrist is a great idea because they can give you shoe recommendations that are backed by science and proven effectiveness.

After assessing your specific heel pain and its characteristics, they'll know how shoes need to be designed to alleviate these pain-related issues. They may suggest specific shoes to wear or inserts that you can place in existing shoes if you're looking for a more cost-effective treatment.

Show At-Home Exercises

In addition to getting a diagnosis and potentially changing the shoes you wear, you might also need to exercise your feet in order to combat chronic heel pain. However, you don't just want to perform any type of foot exercise. It needs to be specifically designed for the type of heel pain you're dealing with.

You'll have help choosing feet workouts you can do from the comforts of home when you work with a podiatrist. They can show you how to do these at-home exercises effectively, too, so that you're making the most out of your time trying to recover from heel pain.

If you're one of the many people today that has pain around the heel, just know there are plenty of treatment options. It will be easier to decide which is appropriate if you work with a podiatrist. They'll perform a thorough initial assessment and follow it up with relevant treatment recommendations. 

For more information, contact a podiatrist near you.