If you've had heel pain for months — or years — and nothing has worked, this episode might explain why.

Here's a stat that surprises almost everyone: only about 5% of people who walk into the clinic convinced they have plantar fasciitis actually have it. So if you've tried the stretches, the orthotics, the injections, and the anti-inflammatories and you're still in pain — it may be because you've been treating the wrong problem the whole time.

In this episode of Heal Without Harm, Dr. Clayton Dir PT, DPT sits down with Dr. Allison Bollinger, a physical therapist who specializes in heel pain and runners, to answer the exact questions real patients ask — including a text from a listener who'd been suffering for years.

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

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• Why most ”plantar fasciitis” isn't actually plantar fasciitis

• The conditions that mimic heel pain — calf tendonitis, nerve entrapment, referred pain, and more

• Why orthotics and $600 custom inserts are usually just a Band-Aid

• Why steroid injections and anti-inflammatories often fail (or only work temporarily)

• Why ”tightness is weakness in disguise” — and what to do about it

• The single calf isometric exercise that can take the edge off today

• Why your heel hurts most first thing in the morning

• How much discomfort during exercise is actually okay (the 0–3 rule)

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TRY THIS AT HOME

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Stand on the bottom step of a staircase, rise up onto your toes, and hold for a solid minute. Start on both feet, and progress to a single leg as it gets easier. As Dr. Bollinger explains, loading these tissues for a long period is ”low-hanging fruit” for many of the conditions that mimic heel pain.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Do I really have plantar fasciitis?

Possibly not. Many cases of heel pain are actually caused by calf tendonitis, nerve entrapment, or referred pain from muscles in the calf — all of which can mimic plantar fasciitis but require different treatment.

Why don't orthotics fix my heel pain?

Orthotics change the pressure points on your foot and shift load to different tissues, which can offer temporary relief — but they don't strengthen or rebuild the tissue causing the problem, so the pain often returns.

Why is heel pain worse in the morning?

After a night of inactivity, the muscles and tendons of the foot and calf are tighter and have less blood flow. The first steps of the day load these stiff tissues, which is why pain is often worst first thing in the morning or after long periods of sitting.

Is stretching or strengthening better for heel pain?

Strengthening is usually the long-term solution. Tightness is often weakness in disguise — when you strengthen the calf and foot, the body allows greater range of motion, and tendons heal best with sustained load (”time under tension”), not repeated stretching alone.

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WORK WITH US

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Mention this podcast and your first visit at Natural Wellness Physiotherapy is HALF OFF — see Dr. Allison or any of our team. Link below. Not local? Reach out and Dr. Clayton can usually point you to a great PT within an hour of you.

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CONNECT WITH DR. CLAYTON DIR PT, DPT

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDocDir/videos

Instagram & TikTok: @thedocdir

Email: [email protected]

For educational purposes only. Not a substitute for personalized medical advice.

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