During the holidays I see many people who come to my office complaining of heel and arch pain. The hustle and the bustle of preparing party events, shopping for presents for the loved ones and the increased activity during these times can cause a big load on your poor feet.

What I see during these times are two major conditions: Planter fasciitis and metatarsalgia.
Planter fasciitis is an inflammation of the planter fascia. The planter fascia is the big ligament in the bottom of the foot that stretches from the heel bone to the forefoot. Increased load and activity (such as spending all day at the mall), can cause major stress on the ligament so that there is micro tearing of the ligament away from the heel bone. One tell-tale sign of this is mid to extreme pain upon rising in the morning or feeling a great deal of discomfort at the heel upon standing from a long-time sitting position. I see a great deal of this from my female patients. This is due to the fact the fashion designer boots, albeit nice looking, don’t always provide the best support and structure to the arch of the foot.

Treatment for planter fasciitis is basically getting off your feet. In addition, apply ice packs to the bottom of the heel and also take oral anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen. If the condition persists an appointment with the podiatrist is usually recommended. A podiatrist will either treat it with cortisone injections, physical therapy, or for long-term chronic conditions, custom made inserts.

The other condition I see is metatarsalgia. This is pain and inflammation of the bones that form the ball of the foot. This is usually caused by high heels and the pressure they put on these ...