News – LFAC heel pain specialist published in two international guides.
13 December 2011
LFAC surgeon Mr Matthew Solan has written definitive articles on heel pain surgery for two prestigious international publications.
Mr Solan has written about gastrocnemius release, a small surgical procedure for people with intractable heel pain caused by a particularly tight calf muscle.
The gastrocnemius muscle runs from above the knee to the Achilles tendon. Its role is to help flex the ankle joint into a tip-toe position.
“If the gastrocnemius is particularly tight, your feet think you are walking on tip-toes. This puts strain in the front of the foot, the arch and the Achilles. A lot of different foot and ankle problems are associated with this tightness of the calf
“Imagine the whole calf muscle is like a rasher of bacon – with the streaky end at the Achilles. Even the main muscle bulge has a ‘rind’. If you stretch a piece of bacon, the rind is the limiting factor. If you snip it then the rasher can stretch a little bit more. In a calf muscle the rind then scars up and mends a little bit longer than it used to be. This means that the ankle can now bend up more easily and the foot’s previous natural tendency to point downwards, (as if wearing heels) is reduced.”
Mr Solan learned this technique in France and has more experience of this than any other UK surgeon, having performed hundreds of cases. The procedure involves making a small cut in the gastrocnemius in a very controlled way, after which the tendon heals with an increased capacity to stretch. Surgery is usually performed under local anaesthetic with some sedation.
Mr Solan has written about his experience of this surgery for the book, Short Gastrocnemius – from Anatomy to Treatment, which is due to be published in three different languages for a worldwide audience.
His research in this area is also due to be published shortly in the Foot and Ankle International Journal.
“For the vast majority of patients, heel pain can be treated conservatively with stretching exercises, shockwave therapy or injections.
“However there is a group of patients who have debilitating, intractable pain and the tightness of their gastrocnemius tendon is such that these approaches will not be effective.
“It has been very important to research and evaluate this procedure thoroughly in order to understand benefits and potential risks. The evidence shows that for carefully selected patients, this is a very effective and safe procedure.”
Read more
- Heel pain symptoms, causes and problems
- The LFAC dedicated one-stop Heel Pain Clinic
- Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Matthew Solan’s profile