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7 Signs Your Heel Pain Isn’t Plantar Fasciitis (and What’s Really Causing It)

If you’re dealing with heel pain in Tucson that hasn’t improved despite treatment for plantar fasciitis, you’re not alone.At Smith Performance Center, we often see people who’ve tried injections, stretching, shoe inserts, and ice bottles—yet their heel still hurts.In many of these cases, the real problem isn’t the plantar fascia at all, but a small muscle on the bottom of the foot called the flexor digitorum brevis. You wake up, swing your legs to the edge of the bed, and… hesitate.You know this is going to hurt. The good foot moves to the ground first—you learned from that mistake a month ago. You brace and put down the other foot, the ungrateful one that will not get better despite the trip to the podiatrist, the injection, physical therapy, the shoe inserts, the ice bottle massage, and the stretching exercises. The foot touches down. It’s not so bad, you think, “those

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When and Where You Feel Foot Pain During Walking Is Key for Diagnosis

Why the Phase of Pain Matters Foot pain while walking is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy. Understanding when and where it hurts can reveal the true cause. Its actually diagnostic. (If you want to read more about how we think about diagnostics, read How to Find the Real Cause of Pain: Our 4-Pillar Diagnosis Process). This means we can figure out the pain generator. That is a large list. It can be the fat pad, your fascia (the most common, incorrect diagnosis), plantar intrinsics (muscles on the bottom of the foot which is primarily the flexor digitorum brevis, abductor hallucis, and abductor digiti minimi), the flexor hallucis longus, the tibial nerve, the medial or lateral plantar nerve, the calcaneus, the talus, the bones of the midfoot and forefoot, the foot and ankle joints, ligaments, the hallux (big toe), or the little toes. It does not

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Male triathlete running outdoors with overlaid quote emphasizing tissue capacity over training volume, alongside the Smith Performance Center logo.

Triathlon Injury Rehab: How SPC Phases Prevent Setbacks

Recurring injuries derailed Alex’s triathlon training for years—until he adopted a structured, phase-based rehab approach. This case study shows how the Smith Performance Center Phase System helped him move from chronic pain to consistent performance by focusing on what most athletes overlook: building tissue capacity to match training demands.

Read More »

7 Signs Your Heel Pain Isn’t Plantar Fasciitis (and What’s Really Causing It)

If you’re dealing with heel pain in Tucson that hasn’t improved despite treatment for plantar fasciitis, you’re not alone.At Smith Performance Center, we often see people who’ve tried injections, stretching, shoe inserts, and ice bottles—yet their heel still hurts.In many of these cases, the real problem isn’t the plantar fascia at all, but a small muscle on the bottom of the foot called the flexor digitorum brevis. You wake up, swing your legs to the edge of the bed, and… hesitate.You know this is going to hurt. The good foot moves to the ground first—you learned from that mistake a month ago. You brace and put down the other foot, the ungrateful one that will not get better despite the trip to the podiatrist, the injection, physical therapy, the shoe inserts, the ice bottle massage, and the stretching exercises. The foot touches down. It’s not so bad, you think, “those

Read More »

When and Where You Feel Foot Pain During Walking Is Key for Diagnosis

Why the Phase of Pain Matters Foot pain while walking is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy. Understanding when and where it hurts can reveal the true cause. Its actually diagnostic. (If you want to read more about how we think about diagnostics, read How to Find the Real Cause of Pain: Our 4-Pillar Diagnosis Process). This means we can figure out the pain generator. That is a large list. It can be the fat pad, your fascia (the most common, incorrect diagnosis), plantar intrinsics (muscles on the bottom of the foot which is primarily the flexor digitorum brevis, abductor hallucis, and abductor digiti minimi), the flexor hallucis longus, the tibial nerve, the medial or lateral plantar nerve, the calcaneus, the talus, the bones of the midfoot and forefoot, the foot and ankle joints, ligaments, the hallux (big toe), or the little toes. It does not

Read More »
Male triathlete running outdoors with overlaid quote emphasizing tissue capacity over training volume, alongside the Smith Performance Center logo.

Triathlon Injury Rehab: How SPC Phases Prevent Setbacks

Recurring injuries derailed Alex’s triathlon training for years—until he adopted a structured, phase-based rehab approach. This case study shows how the Smith Performance Center Phase System helped him move from chronic pain to consistent performance by focusing on what most athletes overlook: building tissue capacity to match training demands.

Read More »