Case Study
Case study

Gender: Female
Age: 47
Presenting Complaint:
The patient attended our foot clinic with pain in the left medial calcaneus. The patient had an x-ray completed of the left heel which presented with a spur. Heel spurs occur due to chronic overloading and stress. The patient also presented with chronic plantar fasciitis; this is a common occurrence alongside heel spurs. The patient reports she has ceased sports and would like to restart playing tennis as soon as possible.
Treatment:
A full biomechanical assessment was carried out with weight-bearing and non-weightearing assessments as well as gait analysis on the treadmill. A 3D scan was undertaken to cast the foot. A customized orthotic with heel cushioning and 1st metatarsal cut-out to effectively offload stressed tissues was prescribed. This was implemented for the long term. Stretching and strengthening exercises and offloading of the heel short-term with a SCF cutout specific to an area of tenderness on palpation, which drastically improved symptoms upon review