Move without pain
Book an assessment todayThe most common cause of heel pain — and one of the most misdiagnosed. Our podiatrists find why your plantar fascia is overloaded and build a plan to settle it for good, across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
Where plantar fasciitis is felt
Under the heel, into the arch. The most common cause of heel pain, and one of the most misdiagnosed.
Sound familiar? These are the classic signs.
Get the diagnosis right, and heel pain becomes far easier to fix.
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs along the sole of your foot, supporting your arch and absorbing load with every step. Plantar fasciitis (more accurately, plantar fasciopathy) develops when that band is repeatedly overloaded and becomes irritated where it attaches to the heel bone.
The tell-tale sign is sharp heel pain with your first steps in the morning or after sitting, which eases as you warm up and often returns later in the day. Left untreated it can linger for months — but with the right diagnosis and plan, most people recover well.
Common contributors include tight calves, a sudden increase in activity, unsupportive footwear, long hours on hard floors, and foot mechanics that overload the fascia.
We match the right tools to your feet — not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
A history, hands-on exam and gait analysis confirm it’s the fascia — and what’s overloading it.
Made to offload the heel, support your arch and correct the mechanics driving your pain.
A proven option for stubborn plantar fasciitis that hasn’t settled with first-line care.
High-intensity (Class IV) laser for stubborn cases — currently only at Maroochydore. Learn more →
A targeted calf and fascia program that rebuilds strength — the key to lasting recovery.
Practical footwear advice and strapping for fast relief while the fascia settles.
Every foot is different, but here’s a realistic picture of recovery with the right plan.
First 2–6 weeksOffloading, taping, footwear changes and starting your loading program bring early relief.
6 weeks–3 monthsMost people steadily improve as the fascia’s tolerance is rebuilt and orthotics do their job.
Stubborn casesLonger-standing pain often responds well to shockwave or laser therapy added to the plan.
With the right treatment plan, most people improve within 6 weeks to 3 months. Long-standing cases can take longer and often respond well to shockwave or laser therapy. Starting the correct treatment early speeds recovery.
There is no single best treatment. The most reliable results come from an accurate diagnosis and a combination approach: offloading the fascia (taping, orthotics, footwear), a calf and fascia loading program, and, for stubborn cases, shockwave or laser therapy.
Complete rest is rarely the answer. We usually modify aggravating activity while keeping you moving, and add a targeted loading program to rebuild the fascia's tolerance.
Custom orthotics can be very helpful by offloading the heel and correcting the mechanics driving your overload, but they work best as part of a complete plan alongside footwear advice and a loading program.
Usually not. Plantar fasciitis is generally diagnosed from your history and a clinical exam. We refer for imaging only when the diagnosis is unclear or we need to rule out other causes such as a stress fracture.
Dan Everson Podiatry treats plantar fasciitis at six clinics across the Sunshine Coast (Caloundra, Maroochydore, Nambour, Noosa) and Brisbane (Taringa, Deception Bay). No referral is needed and you can book online.
