Foot, heel and arch pain are so common they are said to be amongst the most frequently reported and treated conditions world-wide. Yet, there is much misinformation about these conditions often leading to misdiagnosis, resulting in incorrect and inappropriate treatment.
One of Australia’s most experienced musculoskeletal podiatrists and foot, knee and leg pain expert, Dr Paul Dowie from Foot and Leg Pain Clinics, provides some insight.
“All foot and leg pain needs to be diagnosed and managed correctly by determining the contributing factors, not by simply addressing the symptoms. Even your local GP, orthotist or general podiatrist may not diagnose and treat foot and leg pain and injury correctly, as their scope of practice tends to be more generalised and not specific to lower limb musculoskeletal medicine,” he explained.
With over 25 years of experience, Dr Dowie explains that plantar fasciitis is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed foot complaints, with misdiagnosis often occurring when tissue thickening evident on diagnostic scans is misinterpreted as inflammation. In such cases anti-inflammatory treatments and cortisone are often incorrectly prescribed, which can make the condition worse.
“Most foot, heel and arch pain occurs when the plantar fascia (connective tissues running along the bottom of the foot) becomes overloaded, resulting in degeneration of the tissues and/or irritation of the nerves. These conditions are NOT inflammatory in nature, so should not be treated as such and this is where misdiagnosis can become very problematic – as degenerative and inflammatory conditions require very different treatment. Most foot, heel and arch pain is a result of faulty foot function or lower limb biomechanics and environmental factors, and that is what needs to be treated – not inflammation. Hence, an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for that diagnosis is paramount in achieving long-term healing,” Dr Dowie explains.
If you’d like expert advice about any foot, knee or leg pain, you can book an appointment with Dr Dowie at his Foot and Leg Pain Clinic in Williamstown. Call 1300 328 300.
