Heel pain assessment in Melbourne CBD
Why does my heel hurt when I put it down?
By Tim Mulholland, podiatrist at Pride Podiatry, Melbourne CBD. Updated .
It can feel like you're stepping on a sharp stone. Putting your heel down hurts, so you find yourself walking on your toes to avoid it.
When that feels better, it's easy to conclude that the heel touching the ground is the problem. A softer shoe or more cushioning seems like the obvious answer.
I hear this reasoning in the clinic. It makes sense when you're sore and trying to get through the morning. But pain when your heel meets the ground doesn't automatically mean that impact is the underlying problem.
At Pride Podiatry on Collins Street, we assess your symptoms, activity and strength to help you understand your heel pain and plan what to do next.
What Our Patients Say
Richard Taylor
"I highly recommend Jamie Allan for excellent treatment and rehab for foot/heel issues. Combines an in depth science and research approach with technical knowledge to guide treatment that works!"
Wey
"Had a good experience with Jamie Allan, he has a very good way of explaining things and helped me well. Reception was great too!"
Lee Hendy
"Had a consult with Jamie and he couldn't have been more helpful. Figured out what was wrong straight away & gave me practical takeaways."
Golsa Dokmechin
"It was my first experience visiting a podiatrist but I can say Ella is very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend them."
Grace Rosebirch
"Tim is great, a wealth of knowledge and explained everything to me so I knew how to prevent any future issues as well as providing immediate care."
Brenton Hunt
"Tim and his team are the best. Would never go anywhere else!"
Jack Stanway
"Tim is awesome. Clearly very knowledgeable and at the top of his field but also just a great guy. Explained everything thoroughly."
Alex Howe
"Tim is a great podiatrist. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about helping patients recover from injuries. Highly recommend!"
Richard Taylor
"I highly recommend Jamie Allan for excellent treatment and rehab for foot/heel issues. Combines an in depth science and research approach with technical knowledge to guide treatment that works!"
Wey
"Had a good experience with Jamie Allan, he has a very good way of explaining things and helped me well. Reception was great too!"
Lee Hendy
"Had a consult with Jamie and he couldn't have been more helpful. Figured out what was wrong straight away & gave me practical takeaways."
Golsa Dokmechin
"It was my first experience visiting a podiatrist but I can say Ella is very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend them."
Grace Rosebirch
"Tim is great, a wealth of knowledge and explained everything to me so I knew how to prevent any future issues as well as providing immediate care."
Brenton Hunt
"Tim and his team are the best. Would never go anywhere else!"
Jack Stanway
"Tim is awesome. Clearly very knowledgeable and at the top of his field but also just a great guy. Explained everything thoroughly."
Alex Howe
"Tim is a great podiatrist. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about helping patients recover from injuries. Highly recommend!"
Remy
"First time seeing a podiatrist in Australia and glad I chose Tim! Addressed all my concerns and made me feel comfortable."
Sara Khorasani
"Tim was absolutely awesome. Thorough, clear explanations, and an evidence-based approach with targeted exercises. Highly recommended."
Ollie Wilson
"After a quick assessment, Tim diagnosed the problem and got me back playing footy pain free. Very professional!"
L
"Thorough assessment, proper diagnosis, exercises and new orthotics. A relief to be validated. Thoroughly recommend Pride Podiatry!"
Michael Chen
"Fantastic experience with the whole team. They really take the time to understand your issues and provide personalised treatment plans."
Sophie Williams
"Been coming here for months now and my plantar fasciitis is almost completely gone. Tim really knows his stuff!"
David Park
"The best podiatry clinic in Melbourne. Professional, friendly, and results-focused. Can't recommend them highly enough."
Emma Johnston
"Finally found a podiatrist who listens and actually helps. My running injuries are a thing of the past. Thank you Pride Podiatry!"
Remy
"First time seeing a podiatrist in Australia and glad I chose Tim! Addressed all my concerns and made me feel comfortable."
Sara Khorasani
"Tim was absolutely awesome. Thorough, clear explanations, and an evidence-based approach with targeted exercises. Highly recommended."
Ollie Wilson
"After a quick assessment, Tim diagnosed the problem and got me back playing footy pain free. Very professional!"
L
"Thorough assessment, proper diagnosis, exercises and new orthotics. A relief to be validated. Thoroughly recommend Pride Podiatry!"
Michael Chen
"Fantastic experience with the whole team. They really take the time to understand your issues and provide personalised treatment plans."
Sophie Williams
"Been coming here for months now and my plantar fasciitis is almost completely gone. Tim really knows his stuff!"
David Park
"The best podiatry clinic in Melbourne. Professional, friendly, and results-focused. Can't recommend them highly enough."
Emma Johnston
"Finally found a podiatrist who listens and actually helps. My running injuries are a thing of the past. Thank you Pride Podiatry!"
Book your first assessment
We see patients at 80 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD.
Or call us on 0399 754 133
When every step hurts, protecting your heel makes sense
The relief matters, and so does the way you've changed your walking to get it. I want to understand both before deciding what to recommend.
Does the heel stay sore whenever it touches the ground, or does the pain change after you've been moving? That distinction helps us look beyond the painful spot.
The first steps after rest tell us something important
Perhaps the first trip from your bed to the bathroom is the worst part. After you've been moving for a while, the pain becomes less noticeable. Then you sit down, stand up again, and there it is.
That changing pattern is useful information. You don't need to work out what it means before your appointment. Describe when it hurts, what you've been doing and what changes it.
How I explain this pattern of heel pain in the clinic
For someone whose assessment points to plantar fasciitis, I explain the problem in terms of the plantar fascia and how it responds to load. This tissue runs along the sole of the foot and contributes to its support as you move.
The starting point is repeated overload: your plantar fascia has been asked to handle more than it can comfortably manage. In the explanation I use with patients, the tissue responds by trying to repair itself, with a build-up of water-binding molecules called proteoglycans. These hold extra fluid within the tissue. Picture a sponge taking on water until it becomes heavy and swollen. The waterlogged sponge represents the fascia's response to being overloaded.
Now imagine getting out of bed and putting your weight onto that full, swollen sponge. Those first steps are uncomfortable. As you move, picture each step working some water out of it. The sponge becomes less swollen and more springy. This is the picture I use to explain that familiar feeling of your foot gradually loosening up after those first painful steps.
But squeezing a sponge doesn't fix whatever keeps soaking it.
Your heel may feel easier once you're moving, while the demands that overloaded it are still there. So we need to work out what is asking too much of your plantar fascia, and what needs to change. Otherwise, you can keep getting through those first painful steps without addressing why they keep happening.
Feeling better on your toes can give you the wrong impression
Returning to those first steps: lifting your heel off the floor changes how your foot works. It doesn't remove the demands on the plantar fascia. Walking on your toes can increase those demands even while the heel itself avoids contact.
That is why I wouldn't use a few more comfortable steps as proof that heel impact is the underlying problem, or as a reason to keep walking that way throughout the day.
Cushioning may still have a place. Footwear and orthotics can be useful parts of a plan. The question is what we need them to do for you, alongside managing activity and building capacity. A change that helps symptoms is useful information; we also need to look at what you can do and how your heel responds over time.
If you're weighing up those options, read how we decide between orthotics, better shoes or a strength plan.
Finding out what your heel needs starts with the whole pattern
Before an assessment, it helps to notice:
- How your heel feels first thing in the morning and after sitting.
- What happens during your usual walking, work, exercise or running.
- How it feels later that day.
- What you've changed to manage it, including shoes, activity and the way you walk.
At Pride, we consider those observations alongside your activity, gait and physical capacity. We also ask what you want to get back to. The plan needs to connect the things we work on with the outcomes that matter to you.
You don't need to arrive knowing why it feels like you're stepping on a stone. Working that out, and deciding what to do next, is the purpose of the assessment.
How we put your heel pain treatment plan together
Once we've assessed your heel, we can decide what needs to change. Your plan may combine adjustments to activity, strength work, footwear, orthotics and treatment during your consultation. Each part should have a purpose that connects with what you want to get back to.
Activity and strength
We look at what you're asking your foot to do now and what you need it to manage. That includes work, walking, exercise and running. Your exercise programme starts from your current capacity, with progress measured against where you began and where you want to go. Calf raises might be part of that programme, with the amount and difficulty adjusted as you progress.
Footwear and custom orthotics
We consider whether changing your footwear or using custom orthotics could help manage the demands on your foot. We then review what those changes mean for your symptoms and activity. Orthotics are one possible part of the plan, rather than something everyone with heel pain needs.
Shockwave and laser therapy
We also use shockwave therapy and laser therapy when appropriate. Both are included within a normal consultation, with no additional charge for either treatment. We decide whether they have a place alongside the activity, footwear and rehabilitation work in your plan.
We review how your heel feels, what you're able to do and how your capacity is changing. That helps us decide what to keep, what to progress and what to adjust.
Book a first assessment at Pride Podiatry in Melbourne CBDWe see patients at 80 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. Read what happens in a sports podiatry assessment, or call 0399 754 133 for help choosing an appointment and confirming the fee.
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Explore Heel Pain ResetFrequently asked
questions
Not necessarily. Where it hurts is one part of the assessment. When it hurts, how it changes with activity and what we find when we examine your foot also matter. You don't need to know the diagnosis before booking.
That depends on your assessment, how your heel responds and your goal. If you're preparing for an event, keeping symptoms stable while gradually building your running capacity may be useful progress. If your priority is getting pain to settle as quickly as possible, we may put more emphasis on reducing running demands for a time. We'll work through that choice with you and review the response.
Not everyone does. We consider what footwear, activity changes, strength work and orthotics might contribute to your particular plan. If we recommend orthotics, we'll explain what we want them to do and how we'll assess whether they're helping.
Tell us when your heel hurts, what your usual day involves and what you've changed to cope with it. Include any running or exercise you're doing, what you've already tried and what you want to get back to. You don't need a perfect symptom diary to get started.
Confirm the fee for your chosen appointment and clinician when booking. If shockwave or laser therapy is appropriate during your consultation, there is no additional charge for either treatment. We can also explain any proposed orthotic costs before you decide to proceed.
About the author
Tim Mulholland is the founder and consultant podiatrist at Pride Podiatry in Melbourne CBD. He graduated from La Trobe University in 2010 and works with runners and active people managing persistent heel, foot and ankle pain. His approach connects diagnosis, activity, rehabilitation, footwear and orthotic decisions with the person's goals.