The Pedaler Podiatry

WHAT WE DO

15 months after opening our doors in Milton, we have become widely known and relied upon to make the feet and legs of the cycling community pain free.  It is a mission that kicked off our unique enterprise, drove us into cycle shoe retail, and now stands us apart from your typical local bike shop / podiatry service.

Over time, the families of our treated cyclists have come to realize that we also provide comprehensive podiatric care for every member of their family as well.  From growing pains right through to offloading heel pain and pressure relief insoles for Grandmas tap shoes. 

The Pedaler remains one of the few Podiatry practices in Brisbane to still run a full onsite Orthotic Lab.  Each and every pair of cycling or walking orthotics remains hand crafted by head podiatrist Nathan White with his 17 years of industry leading experience.  It also allows us to run our now famous no gap second set of orthotics* for loyal Pedaler patients.

As part of The Pedaler Community, if you need any questions answered about foot health, drop in, give us a call or make an appointment.  Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to set you in the right direction.  

*subject to conditions.

Why does my heel hurt?

Perhaps the most common problem we encounter as Podiatrists at The Pedaler is heel pain.  'My heel hurts when I get out of bed'.  'It hurts when I get up for a coffee'.  This type of pain is synonymous with our old friend 'Plantar Fasciitis'.  A name that looks as painful to pronounce as it is to deal with.  It's pronounced 'fashy-i-tis'.

Make a time to chat to us about heel pain.

Plantar Fasciitis (often termed heel spur) is the most common pathology effecting the foot.  Approximately 10% of the population will experience pain under their heel in their lifetime with women more likely to suffer from the condition then men.  The highest risk category are those between the ages of 44-64 who spend prolonged periods on their feet.  Obesity is also closely linked to the presence of heel pain.  The term 'heel spur' is often used in place of Plantar Fasciitis, however there is little evidence to support the link between the two. Heel spurs are quite common in the ageing population without the presence of any heel pain.  Again, the link between the development of heel spurs and obesity is tightly linked.

The pathophysiology of Plantar Fasciitis is not pure inflammation as the name would suggest.  Essentially, the plantar fascia is subjected to enormous repetitive loading over our life times and becomes damaged through micro trauma (tears).  This hinders the structural integrity of the tissue often leading to enlargement, collagen disruption and pain.  Due to this often non inflammatory process, the term fasciosis is often used rather then fasciitis.  Either way, it still hurts.

Despite being an enormously common condition, a treatment outcome for Plantar Fasciitis is notoriously fickle. Anyone who professes to have a blanket solution to Plantar Fasciitis across the population is treading dangerously close to selling snake oil.  Each case of heel pain needs to be taken on its individual merits.  An understanding of the patient's risk factors needs to be taken into account and realistic expectations need to be set out.  Far too often, the magic pill of orthotic therapy is wheeled out and its failure is often related to missing the other key components of a comprehensive treatment plan. 

To this end, if your heel hurts, we need to get a full picture of your presenting complaint. This will translate into a thorough treatment solution not limited to orthotic therapy.  With the right tools, a conservative option will lead to gradual success.  If it doesn't, then the less conservative treatment options tend to get a little 'uncomfortable'.  Make a time to have a chat with us about your heel pain today.