What Is Plantar Fasciitis And How To Treat It

Plantar fasciitis is a debilitating condition which involves injury and inflammation of the plantar fascia. This is a thick connective tissue found underneath the foot, which is very important in maintaining the foot's arch.

There a lot of causes of plantar fasciitis but the patients that mostly have this condition are athletes and the elderly. People engaged in sports that involve intensive use of the feet like runners, cyclers, basketball and football players, and the like can injure the plantar fascia due to excessive stress to the feet. The plantar fascia, as with any part of the body, is prone to wear and tear, so it is typical to find elderly patients with foot problems.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are heel pain on the first steps after getting out of bed in the morning or stepping out of a car. Pain gradually deceases after a few steps but pain could heighten up again during the day especially after long periods of standing or climbing the stairs.

A thorough physical exam and past medical history is necessary for a podiatrist to properly diagnose foot pain due to plantar fasciitis. There are different causes of foot pain that can show similar symptoms as that of plantar fasciitis. A correct diagnosis is the key to proper treatment.

There are several approaches in treating heel pain and the goal is to relieve the forces that are causing the plantar fascia to be stretched excessively. At home, there are easy ways to relieve foot pain. Resting the foot is an effective way to stop the pain. If the foot is allowed to rest long enough, this can encourage healing of the plantar fascia. Ice packs or cold compress provide quick relief of pain and swelling. If pain still persists after these basic treatments, then a podiatrist should be consulted.

  

Heel Pain: Causes and Treatment

Heel pain is probably the most common foot pathology. It is estimated 100,000 individuals in the United States suffer from this condition. In most cases, acute heel pain is simple, easy and affordable to treat. Unfortunately, a lot of people have the wrong approach in heel pain management and treatment, and this could lead to chronic heel pain.

Causes Of Heel Pain

There are a lot of conditions that can cause heel pain but the common culprits are plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis.

Plantar fasciitis is due to overstretching of the plantar fascia causing multiple microscopic tears along the fibers of the fascia. The plantar fascia is a strong connective tissue located underneath the foot. It attaches below the calcaneous or heel bone to the digits of the foot. The plantar fascia plays a vital role in maintaining the arch of the foot; hence, this structure is constantly under stress.

Achilles tendinitis, on the other hand, is due to injury of the Achilles tendon causing heel pain behind the foot. The Achilles tendon attaches behind the heel bone to the calf muscles above. Achilles tendinitis is particularly common among women who use improper foot wear such as high heels.

Heel Pain Symptoms

Typical pain for plantar fasciitis is felt when a person gets out of bed, taking their first steps in the morning. Usually, a stabbing sharp pain is felt at the bottom or front of the heel. This also holds true for Achilles tendinitis but pain is felt at the back of the heel.

The pain will diminish throughout the day as the tendons and muscles adjust and adapt to the swelling. Unfortunately, after periods of rest, the heel pain can return sharper and stronger. During rest, the ligaments of the foot will tighten and shorten. When we get up, the foot receives the full weight of our body and the sudden stretching of the ligaments is the cause of the stabbing pain.

The best way to treat any type of acute heel pain is the RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) method. If pain persists, it is very important to have your foot checked by a podiatrist.

Heel Spur Symptoms and Treatment

A heel spur is a bony formation located at the calcaneous bone or heel bone that can clearly be seen through x-ray. Also called calcaneal spur, this condition is commonly associated with plantar fasciitis when the spur is located at the inferior aspect or at the bottom of the calcaneous bone. 

Though these conditions are related, they are two different disease entities. Plantar fasciitis refers to the irritation or inflammation of the plantar fascia, and a spur usually forms because of this. But not all patients with plantar fasciitis develop a heel spur and not all patients with heel spurs have plantar fasciitis.

Heel spurs are common in patients who suffer from chronic heel pain due to an inflamed plantar fascia. This is often seen on middle aged men and women or among active athletic individuals involved in sports like runners, basketball players and volleyball players.

Patients do not actually complain of heel pain due to heel spurs but from pain due to plantar fasciitis. Most often, a heel spur can only be found or diagnosed through radiological findings where the pointy bony prominence is located at the attachment of the plantar fascia.

How do heel spurs form? About 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis will develop heel spurs. The plantar fascia, which is located at the bottom of the foot, is a strong fibrous tissue that attaches to the heel bone to the balls of the foot.  It is responsible for the arch of the foot and plays a major role in the biomechanics of the foot. This fascia is also constantly under tremendous stress when walking, running or bearing weight.

However, this important structure is very prone to injury and degenerative changes. The natural wear and tear of this tendon can cause irritations and inflammation causing chronic heel pain. For some reason, the new bone growth is formed at the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone probably because of the constant stressful pulling action.

Treating pain associated with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis can be done conservatively. Most often, the R.I.C.E. method which stands for rest, ice, compress, and elevate can effectively relive pain. Other treatments are foot inserts, pain medications and steroid injections. 

A new treatment called ESWT uses multiple shock waves to naturally stimulate healing in the injured fascia. This is a holistic approach since it encourages the own healing properties of the body.

For more information about heel spurs and plantar fasciitis, please visit the Family Foot and Leg Center in Naples or Contact Dr. Kevin Lam at (239) 430-3668.

Basic Steps to Take Care Of Your Body

Image via WikipediaIf you're aiming to keep yourself in good physical shape, especially with advancing age, it is never really too late. When it comes to healthy living, there is no age limit and starting off with a well-balanced diet comprising of fruits, nuts, green leafy vegetables, fish, and a right serving of meat is the initial step.

Next is proper exercise to promote muscle tone and increase blood circulation which is actually great for your heart and lungs. Always remember to take your daily doses of vitamins and minerals. It is also important to eat foods rich in antioxidants, this will help reduce free radicals and could prevent cancer. These are beans (red, red kidney), berries (wild berries, blue berries), vegetables (spinach, kale), and even coffee, rich in antioxidants.

Another important aspect of keeping your body healthy is of course is to prevent any kind of injury as much as possible. If you have sustained an injury or in any kind of chronic pain, seek medical attention immediately.

One of the most ignored injures of the body is probably anything involving the foot. At times, we can manage or treat any kind of heel or foot pain with pain relievers, a simple massage or placing ice packs on the affected area. But when the pain persists in spite of all these simple treatments, we tend to take more pain relievers than usual. When the injury is not managed properly, this can lead to chronic foot pain. All sorts of foot pain conditions like plantar fasciitis, bunion or Achilles tendinitis can occur and with these kinds of conditions, it is best to consult a podiatrist.

Family Foot and Leg Center is a medical center specializing in healing health issues with lower leg and ankle. Come to us to get treatment for all your foot and lower leg disorders.

Do Not Ignore Your Heel Pain

Image via WikipediaHeel pain affects hundreds of people each year. Sad to say, this health condition is mostly ignored in America. Statistics show that foot injuries in America are very common compared to other parts of the body. Surprisingly, the feet rank lowest on the list of body parts and functions that Americans consider important to their health according to the American Podiatric Medical Association.

The condition of the foot is directly proportional to a person's quality of life and health. When our feet are functioning normally and in good condition, we can do about anything and have a normal, pain-free life, without any kind of limitations.

However, when the foot is under some sort of pathologic condition and is experiencing even the slightest pain, this could mean all sorts of health conditions like diabetes, arthritis, obesity, circulatory problems and a lot more.

Most often, Americans don't seek a podiatrist even when experiencing foot pain and usually self medicate by taking pain relievers. This practice provides only temporary relieve and in fact, this can cause more injury to the foot.

We experience foot pain when there is something wrong with its biomechanics. This could be an inflamed fascia, a torn ligament, a slight fracture or even just a minor irritation. This pain tells the brain not put too much pressure to the affected foot, that's why we sometimes limp when we walk. Sometimes, when pain is severe, we are forced to rest and lay immobilized even if we don't want to. This has an important purpose, as resting the foot allows it to heal itself. Now, if we take pain medications this healing process is skipped and can lead to further injury or worse: chronic heel or foot pain.

Family Foot and Leg Center is a medical center specializing in healing health issues with lower leg and ankle. Come to us to get treatment for all your foot and lower leg disorders.