A full hour, one-on-one
Every visit is an hour with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. No aides, no rushed table time, no bouncing between machines.
Sound familiar?
You’ve tried some things but it still hurts.
Maybe you’ve rested it, stretched it, rolled it on a ball, bought new inserts, or already tried physical therapy. Some of it may have helped for a while.
Then you went back to the miles, the walks, or a full day on your feet, and it started bothering you again. Now you’re somewhere between managing it and slowly doing less, without a clear sense of what actually needs to change.
That’s the part we care about.
Who we help
If any of this sounds like you
These are some of the patterns we see most often.
First-step heel pain The first few steps in the morning are the worst +
This pattern is often associated with plantar heel pain, but the name alone does not explain why it keeps returning. We look at the foot, calf, and recent changes in load.
Pain at the back of the heel Your Achilles aches with stairs, running, or the start of a workout +
Achilles pain often reflects a gap between what the tendon can tolerate and what your activity requires. The goal is to rebuild that tolerance progressively.
Arch or inside-foot pain Longer walks leave the inside of your foot tired and sore +
The arch and inside of the foot depend on the foot, ankle, and calf sharing force. We assess where that support is breaking down as you fatigue.
Forefoot or big-toe pain Push-off hurts when you walk, run, lunge, or rise onto your toes +
Pain near the ball of the foot or big toe can have several causes. We look at mobility, footwear, strength, and how pressure moves through the foot.
Pain that returns with mileage Rest helps, until you start walking or running more again +
When symptoms return with volume, the issue is often an unresolved difference between current capacity and repeated demand. Rest alone does not close that gap.
Recovery after a boot or surgery You are cleared, but walking and push-off still do not feel natural +
After immobilization or surgery, we rebuild motion, calf and foot strength, balance, and tolerance for the activities you need to return to.
Pain in the same part of the foot can come from different structures and load patterns. We identify what is irritated, what is missing, and what your foot needs to tolerate again.
What’s different
The process only works if the care supports it
A plan is only as good as the care running it. These three things are how we deliver it.
Benchmarks before progressions
You move forward by clearing the standards tied to your goals, not simply because another week passed on the calendar.
Always in your pocket
Your plan, your progressions, and a line to your clinician live in the EVO app, so you are never guessing between sessions.
First, we understand
We measure before we build
Where it hurts matters. It just does not tell us enough. Before we build your plan, we look at how your foot, ankle, and calf move, how much load they can handle, how well you control them, and what you need it to do in real life.
Foot & ankle mobility
Calf strength & endurance
Balance & control
Daily demands
Your goals
These measures give us a starting point. We return to them throughout rehab to decide what needs work, when to progress, and whether your foot is ready for the demands you want back.
How our approach is supported by current guidelines +
Heel pain can come from different structures, and the right plan depends on what is irritated and how the foot, calf, and tendon are handling load. Current guidelines support the same core principles we work from: identify the pattern, build load tolerance, and retest what matters.
Identify the pattern
Plantar heel pain, Achilles pain, nerve irritation, and stress injuries do not all need the same plan.
Build load tolerance
Rest may settle symptoms, but lasting progress usually requires the foot and calf to tolerate more work again.
Retest what matters
Walking, first steps, calf endurance, running, and next-day response tell us whether capacity is improving.
That is the logic behind EVO’s 10-step process: establish the starting point, build the qualities that are missing, and earn the next level through measurable progress.
- Plantar Heel Pain Clinical Practice Guideline, 2023 · Koc et al., JOSPT
- Achilles Tendinopathy Clinical Practice Guideline, 2024 · Chimenti et al., JOSPT
- High-Load Strengthening for Plantar Heel Pain, 2015 · Rathleff et al., Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
Then comes the plan
We build for the demands of your life
Your assessment shows where you start. The demands of your life show where you finish, whether that is a pain-free first step in the morning, a full day on your feet, or getting back to running real mileage. The ten steps are the path between, each one building the fitness needed to get you there.
01
Regulate
Calm pain and irritation so the foot can move.
02
Restore
Get the foot and ankle motion you need back.
03
Activate
Rebuild the calf and foot muscle.
04
Coordinate
Use that strength in real movement.
05
Endure
Repeat good movement without breaking down.
06
Strengthen
Build meaningful lower-body and full-body strength.
07
Absorb
Control landing, impact, and deceleration.
08
Produce
Build force, speed, and power.
09
Integrate
Handle fatigue, change, and the unexpected.
10
Perform
Return to life or sport—and stay there.
The people in your corner
A Doctor of Physical Therapy, every session
Dr. TJ Martino, PT, DPT, CSCS
Founder · Physical Therapist
TJ started as a strength coach before earning his doctorate in physical therapy. For more than 15 years, he has worked with active adults, runners, lifters, and professional and Olympic athletes.
That background shapes how we approach foot and heel pain at EVO. We look beyond where it hurts to understand what you need to move, train, and get back to the things that matter to you.
In their words
What progress can look like
★★★★★
“He has helped me through injuries that I had been battling with other PTs for years. His approach is about fixing the root of the problem for a sustainable long-term solution. I love that I’m no longer in pain.”
Lindsay D.
Years of recurring injuries
★★★★★
“I went to several traditional PT places, but EVO’s route was the best for me. They found the root cause of my injury cycle. A few months later, I’m finally back to living life pain-free.”
Grace M.
Recurring injuries
★★★★★
“His treatment lets me keep a vigorous work schedule and still train safely. He coordinates with my trainer so my program is right for me and I can hit my goals.”
Joanne Z.
Patient & member
★★★★★ 5.0 on Google
Read more reviews on Google →
From our team
More on foot and heel pain
Straight answers
The questions people ask first
Do I need a referral to start physical therapy for heel pain? +
In most cases, no. New Jersey allows direct access to physical therapy, which means you can usually begin without seeing another provider first. Some insurance plans have their own requirements, and we will help you understand those before you start.
How long does heel pain usually take to resolve? +
It depends on what is contributing to the symptoms, how long it has been going on, and what you are trying to return to. We do not put everyone on the same timeline. Your evaluation establishes the starting point, and measured checkpoints show when you are ready to progress.
I have tried inserts, stretching, and rest. Why does it keep coming back? +
Because those things can settle symptoms without building capacity. If the foot and calf still cannot tolerate the work you are asking of them, the pain returns the moment activity picks back up. Rebuilding load tolerance is what changes that.
Do you treat feet after surgery or a fracture? +
Yes. We work within the surgeon’s precautions and then progressively rebuild mobility, calf and foot strength, walking capacity, and the activities you want to return to.
Is all heel pain plantar fasciitis? +
No. Plantar heel pain, Achilles pain, nerve irritation, and bone stress injuries can all present as heel pain, and they do not need the same plan. Identifying which structure is irritated is the first step.
What to expect
Getting started with us is simple
1
A conversation
A complimentary discovery call to hear what is going on, what you have tried, and whether we are the right fit.
2
An evaluation
A full 60-to-90-minute assessment to establish your starting point and what needs attention first.
3
Your plan, in motion
One-on-one treatment and a progressive plan built around the demands of your life.
On the house
The free six-week Heel Reset
A six-week program inside the EVO Health App, with guided sessions and a real clinician to message when you get stuck. Start on your own, at your own pace. Tell us where to send it.
- ✓A clear place to start without another generic PDF
- ✓Day-by-day guidance inside the EVO Health App
- ✓A real EVO clinician available when you need help
