Why Your Heel Pain Won’t Go Away (And How We Fix It at Lake Country Health Center in Delafield)
If you’ve ever stepped out of bed and felt a sharp, stabbing pain in your heel, you know exactly how frustrating plantar fasciitis can be. That first step in the morning—when it feels like you’re walking on a nail—can set the tone for your entire day.
At first, most people try to push through it. You stretch a bit, maybe change shoes, or rest for a few days. But weeks turn into months… and the pain keeps coming back.
At Lake Country Health Center in Delafield, this is something we see every single week. And here’s the reality:
If your plantar fasciitis has been lingering, it’s usually not just inflammation anymore—it’s a tissue healing problem.
The good news? That’s exactly what we specialize in fixing.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis involves irritation and damage to the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot—from your heel to your toes.
Its job is to:

• Support your arch
• Absorb shock
• Help you walk and move efficiently

When that tissue becomes overloaded, small microtears form—leading to pain, especially near the heel.

Why Your Heel Pain Keeps Coming Back
Most people describe plantar fasciitis like this:

• Sharp pain with the first steps in the morning
• Pain after sitting or driving
• Tightness in the arch or calf
• Temporary relief with movement… then worsening later

Here’s the key distinction most clinics don’t explain:
Early-stage plantar fasciitis = inflammation
Chronic plantar fasciitis = degeneration

Over time, the tissue:

• Loses its normal structure
• Becomes thicker and weaker
• Has reduced blood flow

This is why common treatments often fall short.

Why Traditional Treatments Often Fail
You’ve probably tried some of these:

• Stretching
• Ice
• Orthotics
• Anti-inflammatories

They can help temporarily—but they don’t address the underlying issue once the tissue has become degenerative.

That’s why patients often tell us:
“It felt better for a while… but it always came back.”
At our office, we take a different approach—we focus on actually healing the tissue.

What’s Actually Happening in the Tissue
In chronic cases, plantar fasciitis becomes something called fasciosis.
Instead of healthy, organized fibers, the tissue becomes:

• Disorganized
• Thickened
• Less elastic and more fragile

Think of it like a fraying rope.

At this point, your body needs the right stimulus to restart the healing process.

How Focused Shockwave Therapy Helps
This is where we see the biggest breakthroughs for our patients at Lake Country Health Center.
Focused shockwave therapy uses precise acoustic waves to stimulate healing in damaged tissue.

Here’s what it does:
1. Improves blood flow
It increases circulation to an area that typically doesn’t heal well on its own.
2. Breaks up damaged tissue
It helps your body remove and replace unhealthy tissue with stronger, more functional fibers.
3. Restarts the healing process
Shockwave signals your body that this area needs repair—something chronic plantar fasciitis often lacks.
4. Reduces pain
It also decreases sensitivity in the area, helping you feel better as healing progresses.

What Treatment Is Like at Our Delafield Office
When you come into Lake Country Health Center in Delafield, your care is guided by Dr. Brandon Meye and Dr. Daniel Murray, who focus on identifying the root cause—not just managing symptoms.
Shockwave sessions are:

• Quick (typically 10–15 minutes)
• Non-invasive (no injections or downtime)
• Performed right in our office

Most patients describe the sensation as a tapping or pulsing feeling. It’s very manageable—and improves as treatment progresses.

What Results You Can Expect
While every case is different, many of our patients experience:

• Noticeable pain relief within a few visits
• Improved ability to walk, exercise, and stand
• Long-term improvement instead of temporary fixes

Our goal isn’t just to reduce your pain—
it’s to help your body actually heal so the problem doesn’t keep coming back.

Are You a Good Candidate?
You’re likely a great fit for shockwave therapy if:

• Your heel pain has lasted more than a few weeks
• It keeps returning when you get active
• You’ve tried other treatments without lasting success
• You want to avoid injections or surgery

Why Patients in Delafield Choose Us
At Lake Country Health Center, we take a different approach than traditional care models.
With Dr. Brandon Meye and Dr. Daniel Murray, you can expect:

• A clear explanation of what’s actually causing your pain
• Treatment focused on healing—not just symptom relief
• A plan tailored specifically to your activity level and goals

We’re not here to just “manage” plantar fasciitis—we’re here to help you get back to living without it.

Take the Next Step...
If you’re tired of dealing with heel pain that won’t go away, it’s time to address the real issue.
You don’t have to keep pushing through it. And you don’t have to wait for it to magically resolve.
There is a proven way to fix it.
Schedule an appointment with our team at Lake Country Health Center in Delafield, and we’ll walk you through exactly what’s going on—and how to get you back on your feet, pain-free.

Tips on Maintaining Good Posture:

Going hand in hand, with the previous topic of “text neck,” is the topic of proper posture.  Being on smart phones and laptops all day can lead to poor posture and back pain.  Good posture helps reduce back pain.  Remember to take breaks from all of the technology devices that we have at our fingertips and get outside when possiible.   Get active, and spend time with family and friends.
Let’s go into a little detail on what exactly posture is and how it affects our bodies. 

“What is posture?  Posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or lying down. Good posture is the correct alignment of body parts supported by the right amount of muscle tension against gravity.” http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=1452

Correct posture is important because that is what helps us to stand, walk, sit, and lie while placing the least amount of strain on our bodies. 

According to ACA, Correct posture…
• Helps us keep bones and joints in correct alignment so that our muscles are used correctly, decreasing the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in degenerative arthritis and joint pain.
• Reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, minimizing the likelihood of injury.
• Allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and, therefore, preventing muscle fatigue.
• Helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain.
http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=1452

To keep good posture, you need to have  muscle strength and flexibility.  That is one reason why a doctor approved exercise program is so important.

• “The human body, like any other machine, to function properly is dependent on balance, rhythm, timing, and coordinated action of all its components.  Correct posture enables the body to function more efficiently.”  (Sportelli, Introduction to Chiropractic, 12th Edition) (p. 24, Introduction to Chiropractic)

Stress, obesity, too tight of muscles, high heeled shoes, and slouching are all factors that lead to poor posture.  Make sure that when you are walking you have your shoulders pulled back.  When you are sitting working on a computer make sure the top of the monitor is at eye level and your mouse is in the neutral reach zone.  Also keep your shoulders back. 


According to ACA, these are ways to sit, stand and lie properly:

How to sit properly:
• Keep your feet on the floor or on a footrest, if they don't reach the floor.
• Don't cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees.
• Keep a small gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
• Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.
• Adjust the backrest of your chair to support your low- and mid-back or use a back support.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your forearms parallel to the ground.
• Avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time.
How do I stand properly?
• Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Let your arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
• Stand straight and tall with your shoulders pulled backward.
• Tuck your stomach in.
• Keep your head level-your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders. Do not push your head forward, backward, or to the side.
• Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time.
What is the proper lying position?
• Find the mattress that is right for you. While a firm mattress is generally recommended, some people find that softer mattresses reduce their back pain. Your comfort is important.
• Sleep with a pillow. Special pillows are available to help with postural problems resulting from a poor sleeping position.
• Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
• Sleeping on your side or back is more often helpful for back pain.
• If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs.
• If you sleep on your back, keep a pillow under your knees.
http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=1452


If you are suffering from pains and aches as a result of poor posture, schedule an appointment with our doctors and rehab specialists to help ease the pain and bring you back into balance.  Call us today at 262-646-5800 to schedule an appointment. 

Bibliography:

"Tips to Maintain Good Posture." ACA -. Web. 29 May 2012. http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=1452.

Yes, mobile devices have made our lives easier. We can access emails, text messages, calendars, spreadsheets, phone calls, planners, internet and more all from one device: our cell phone, laptop, ipod, or ipad. While these modern technologies are extremely convenient, it has its risks too. We need to be aware of protecting our neck and preventing elbow and thumb injuries (Healthy Living, ACA).

“Text neck” is the new big problem to occur in this generation. We are creating a society of poor posture and forward head carriage… AKA TEXT NECK. “For every inch of forward head posture, it can increase the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 10 lbs." (Kapandji, Physiology of Joints, Vol 3) This is an especially bad habit that is being started early on by young children today. According to Self Magazine, “The disorder is associated with chronic headaches and shoulder/neck pain, but the doctor has also started to see increased curvature in the spine -- especially in kids.”

Sitting upright includes our ears being over our shoulders. When we look down at our device we need to tuck our chin in, not forward. Dr. Murray tells us that, good posture starts from the lower back. Sit tall, with your abdominals pulled in, and your shoulders back. Make sure to never hold the phone between your ear and shoulder so that your hands can be free. Instead use a headset, as it reduces fatigue in muscles. Dr. Murray also suggests to prop up a few pillows underneath you when you are using your smart phone or laptop, to reduce the strain on your shoulder and neck muscles. (Healthy Living, ACA)

“Our bodies are made to move- not to maintain the same stooped-over posture for long periods of time. Be conscious of the risks involved with excessive use of PDAs or cell phones.” (Healthy Living, ACA)

Another injury that can occur with the excessive use of smart phones is an elbow injury. As you keep your elbows bent to see your screen, the nerve can become irritated which can cause pain, numbness, weakness or tingling. To prevent this type of injury, try to reduce the amount of time your elbows are bent while using these devices, and don’t lean on your elbow while talking on the phone. (Healthy Living, ACA)

The American Chiropractic Association suggests reducing the amount of time typing on the keys of your smart phone. Our thumbs are not made for that type of quick pounding. Try to use the scroll screen less than what you normally do, as it can cause inflammation of your thumb tendon. Even better, turn off your smart phones from time to time, and stop and smell the roses.
Remember everything in moderation. Make sure to take breaks; stretch and walk around. Our bodies are not meant to be in one position all day, as we tend to be while on our smart phones. Our bodies are meant to be active and moving around. There are also many helpful stretches to fix the pain from text neck.

Also, as a patient at LCHC, I can say from personal experience, that treatment here has helped me relieve my "text neck" symptoms of neck and upper back pain. I sit at a computer for long chunks of time, and even though I try to remember proper posture techniques, I still end up finding myself slouching and in poor posture from time to time. Chiropractic treatments and decompression at LCHC has really helped me out when I find my neck in pain from being on technology devices for too long.

If you are feeling any of these symptoms please schedule an appointment to see us. Our talented staff is here to help. Make sure to check our facebook and twitter pages for helpful stretches regarding text neck.

Sources Cited:

Sorrells, Chris. "Using Technology Safely." The Journal of the American Chiropractic Association (JACA) Online (2010). American Chiropractic Association. Web. 1 Apr. 2012.

Zelevansky, Nora. "6 Ways To Relieve "Text Neck": Fit Like Us: Self.com." Fit like Us. Self Magazine, 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. http://www.self.com/fitness/blogs/freshfitnesstips/2011/10/6-ways-to-relieve-text-neck.html.