Plantar Fasciitis: A Common Cause Of Heel Pain

One of the common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. This is due to an inflamed ligament called the plantar fascia. 

The plantar fascia is a strong connective tissue that attaches to the calcaneus bone or heel bone to the toes of the foot. The plantar fascia is very important because it maintains the arch of the foot.

When the plantar fascia undergoes tremendous stress, especially among athletes, microscopic injuries can occur anywhere in the planter fascia. This small injuries can get irritated and can cause can cause swelling and pain.

Typical Causes of Heel Pain

Plantar fasciitis is common among athletes like runners, basketball players, those who play football or baseball, and anything that requires the use of the foot. This is due to the enormous physical demand needed in these sports which usually put a lot of strain on the feet causing injury to the plantar fascia.

Another cause of plantar fasciitis is if you have weak foot ligaments. You don’t have to be an athlete to have plantar fasciitis. If your plantar fascia is weak, then this will get injured easily. Also, plantar fasciitis is common among the elderly due to natural wear and tear of the ligaments.

Also, wearing the wrong footwear can lead to plantar fasciitis. If your shoe is too small or large, wearing high heels, shoes that are too soft and don’t provide arch support, all of these factors can cause foot pain due to plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is severe pain below the heel when you take your first step out of bed in the morning, or when your get out of the car after a long drive. But the pain gradually reduces after a few steps; however, pain can still recur during the day.

Diagnosis

The best way to diagnose this condition is to visit a foot specialist or podiatrist. The symptoms of plantar fasciitis can be similar to other foot conditions, so it is important to accurately diagnose the condition to provide the right medical treatment.

What's Causing Your Heel Pain

When we walk, we put a lot of stress on each foot. Our feet can actually manage heavy loads but too much stress can push them to their limits. When you’re involved in sports like running, playing basketball or volleyball and even using the wrong shoes can irritate tissues in the foot that can lead to heel pain.

When the tissues around the heel get irritated, this will cause considerable amount pain on the affected area. This can heal itself without any medication if the foot is allowed to rest. However, a lot of people ignore the early signs of heel pain and go on with their usual activities. This can eventually lead to chronic heel pain that will need one or more treatment modalities to alleviate pain.

Diagnosing the cause of heel pain is best done by a podiatrist. Identifying the cause is crucial because there may be different or similar treatment options for each condition.

Generally, there are two categories in the diagnosis of heel pain. These are posterior heel pain or pain at the back of the heel and inferior heel pain or pain underneath the foot.

Posterior heel pain usual involves the insertion of the Achilles tendon to the calcaneus or heel bone. This is common among runners or in people who wear shoes that can apply pressure at the back of the foot. This initially starts are as tolerable pain and can get worse if ignored.

Inferior heel pain usually involves an irritated plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a strong fibrous tissue found underneath the foot. Same as the Achilles tendon, the plantar fascia also inserts to the heel bone to the digits of the feet. The plantar fascia is constantly under pressure when walking, running, or lifting weights. It also plays a vital role in maintaining the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is the term used for an inflamed or irritated plantar fascia. Irritation occurs at the insertion of the plantar fascia to the heel bone. In chronic plantar fasciitis, it is common to find a heel spur on radiologic findings.

Treatment involves the R.I.C.E method, which stands for rest, ice, compress, and elevate. This is very effective in the early course of heel pain. On the other hand, chronic heel pain is more difficult to manage especially when a spur has already formed. It is best to visit a podiatrist when dealing with chronic pain.