Why Your Heel Pain Won't Go Away (Chronic Plantar Fasciitis)
Heel Pain
You’ve bought the expensive shoes. You’ve rolled your foot on a frozen water bottle every night. You’ve done the calf stretches on the stairs until you’re blue in the face.
And yet, every morning, those first few steps out of bed still feel like walking on Lego.
If this sounds familiar, you have moved past the stage of "acute" injury and entered the frustrating world of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis.
The reason your current treatment isn't working is simple: You are treating inflammation, but the inflammation is gone.
At Velca Health Centre, we have the tools to treat chronic, stubborn foot pain. Here is the truth about why your heel won't heal, and how we use Shockwave Therapy to fix it.
Part 1: The "Dead Tissue" Theory (Fasciitis vs. Fasciosis)
Most people think Plantar Fasciitis means "inflammation of the foot arch."
"Itis" = Inflammation. This is true for the first 2–6 weeks. During this time, ice and Nurofen work.
However, after 3 months, the condition changes.
"Osis" = Degeneration. The inflammation cells disappear. The tissue starts to degrade. The collagen fibers become disorganized and weak, and the blood supply to the area shuts down.
Why Stretching Stops Working If you have Chronic Fasciosis, the tissue is effectively dormant or "asleep." No amount of icing will fix it because there is no heat to cool down. No amount of gentle stretching will fix it because the tissue structure is damaged.
To fix it, you need to restart the injury process.
Part 2: The Shockwave Solution for Heels
This is where Shockwave Therapy shines. It is widely considered the gold standard for chronic heel pain that has failed other treatments.
How it works on the heel:
Re-Ignition: The acoustic waves cause controlled micro-damage to the degenerated fascia. This tricks your brain into thinking you have a new injury.
Blood Rush: The brain responds by sending a massive surge of new blood vessels (neovascularization) to the heel. This blood brings the oxygen and nutrients needed for repair.
Collagen Alignment: As the tissue heals (again), the collagen fibers lay down in straight, strong lines rather than a messy tangle.
The Evidence Clinical studies show that Shockwave Therapy has an 80–90% success rate for Plantar Fasciitis, even in cases that have persisted for over a year.
Part 3: The "Velca Protocol" for Heel Pain
We don't just zap your foot and wish you luck. We tackle the root cause of why the load was there in the first place.
1. The Shockwave Phase
We target the medial tubercle of the calcaneus (the exact spot on the heel bone where it hurts).
We also use the Shockwave on the calf muscles and Achilles tendon, as tight calves are the #1 cause of heel tension.
Frequency: 3 to 5 sessions, once a week.
2. The Biomechanics Check (Chiropractic) Why is only one foot hurting? Sometimes, it’s a pelvic misalignment. If your hip is twisted, one leg effectively becomes "longer," forcing that foot to slam into the ground harder. Our Chiropractors adjust the pelvis and lower back to even out your weight distribution. For the patients where this is needed, we can help.
3. The Loading Phase (Physio) Once the pain subsides, we introduce "High-Load Strength Training."
Instead of just stretching, we make you do heavy calf raises with a towel under your toes. This specific load strengthens the fascia so it can handle your body weight again.
Part 4: What Should I Expect?
Will I be able to walk after treatment? Yes. You can walk immediately. In fact, many patients feel less pain straight after the session due to the numbing effect of the shockwaves.
When can I run again? We usually ask you to pause running for the first 2–3 weeks of treatment. We can then slowly re-introduce running on softer surfaces (like the grass at Lloyd Elsmore) once your morning pain has subsided.
Is it worth the cost? Chronic heel pain changes your life. It stops you exercising, which affects your weight, your mood, and your health. Investing in a course of Shockwave is investing in getting your active lifestyle back.
Stop limping. Start healing.
