Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
Specialist shockwave therapy and osteopathy for heel pain in Islington.
That First Step Shouldn’t Be the Worst Part of Your Day
If you’re dealing with plantar fasciitis, you know the feeling all too well. You swing your legs out of bed in the morning and the moment your foot hits the floor, there it is — that sharp, stabbing pain under your heel that makes you wince before you’ve even started your day.
Maybe it eases off after a few minutes of walking, only to come back with a vengeance after you’ve been on your feet for a while. It’s the kind of pain that grinds you down because it never fully goes away. You don’t have to keep living with it.
Book an AppointmentDo Any of These Apply to You?
Plantar fasciitis affects people in different ways. You might recognise some of these:
Sharp pain under your heel
With your first steps in the morning?
Pain returns after sitting
For a while — those first few steps are always the worst?
Pain eases with movement
But comes back after prolonged activity?
Tight calves
And stiffness in your ankles that won’t loosen up?
You’ve changed the way you walk
To avoid the pain?
It’s been going on for months
And nothing seems to be working?
If any of these sound familiar, you’re in the right place. At the Canonbury Clinic, we specialise in treating plantar fasciitis — primarily with shockwave therapy combined with osteopathy to address the underlying mechanical cause.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs along the sole of your foot, supporting the arch and playing a key role in how your foot absorbs and transmits force when you walk or run. When this tissue becomes overloaded, the result is the pain you’re feeling under your heel.
Plantar fasciitis is now understood as more of a degenerative overload problem than a purely inflammatory one. Repeated strain causes micro-damage to the fascia, and when the tissue can’t repair quickly enough to keep up with the demands placed on it, pain develops.
Common contributing factors include:
- Poor load management — doing too much too soon, or a sudden increase in activity
- Reduced ankle mobility — tight calves and limited dorsiflexion are common findings
- Prolonged standing — especially on hard surfaces
- Weight gain — increased load on a structure that’s already under strain
- Inappropriate footwear — lack of support or cushioning where it matters
The characteristic “start-up pain” — worst with your first steps, then easing with movement — is a hallmark of the condition. But it’s rarely just about the heel. It usually reflects broader issues in how your lower limb distributes load, which is why we treat the whole picture, not just the painful spot.
Self-management plays an important role: calf and plantar fascia stretching, strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the foot, improving ankle mobility, activity modification, and choosing the right footwear can all help. But recovery can take months, and professional treatment speeds things up significantly.
Your Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Plan
At the Canonbury Clinic, we’ve treated plantar fasciitis for over 30 years. We combine shockwave therapy — one of the most effective treatments available for this condition — with osteopathy to address the underlying mechanical cause and get you back on your feet faster.
Our unique multi-faceted approach combines hands-on treatment with the latest technology, giving you the best chance of a fast and lasting recovery:
- Osteopathy — gentle, hands-on manipulation to restore mobility and address biomechanical issues
- Deep Tissue Massage — targeted pressure to release chronic tension in the calf and foot
- Assisted Stretching — practitioner-guided stretching to improve ankle mobility and flexibility
- G5 Massage — mechanical massage to increase blood flow and reduce stiffness
- Laser Therapy — deep tissue healing using our Class 4 MLS laser
- Ultrasound Treatment — therapeutic sound waves to promote tissue repair
- Kinesio Taping — supportive taping to aid recovery between sessions
- Bespoke Exercise Programme — tailored exercises to strengthen your foot and prevent recurrence
Every treatment plan is tailored to your specific condition, your body, and your goals. We don’t do one-size-fits-all.