Professor Karl Landorf has dedicated more than 25 years to understanding plantar heel pain and identifying effective treatments, positioning him as a leading expert in the field.
“Plantar heel pain, which is pain underneath the heel of the foot, is a very common condition that affects approximately 10% of the adult population,” Professor Landorf explains.
“It can be a very disabling condition and significantly impact a person’s quality of life, including their ability to work. It can also persist for many years in some people, with more than 45% of those affected still having pain after 10 years.”
Professor Landorf, the top-ranked author globally for the number of scientific articles published on this condition, has significantly advanced our understanding of plantar heel pain and identified the most effective treatments.
“Over the course of my career, my research has increasingly focused on understanding the causes of plantar heel pain and how we might modify those causes to prevent it,” says Professor Landorf.
“I have also been an investigator on rigorous clinical trials and reviews of the evidence of a range of treatments. These include stretching, strengthening, strapping and taping, foot orthoses, dry needling, tailored education, and corticosteroid injections.”
“This work has been key to informing both individuals and public health systems about what treatments work well, leading to not only better treatment but also cost savings.”
In addition to continuing his own research, Professor Landorf is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of researchers.
“I have and will continue to work with students and mentees with the hope of inspiring them to be passionate researchers so that we can work together to achieve the ultimate goal of preventing this condition from occurring in the first place.”
