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.

  

Simple Ways To Relieve Foot Pain

There are a lot of causes of foot pain and there are many factors that contribute to different types of foot pain. But the primary cause is using the wrong type of footwear, especially women with their high heels causing a lot of strain on the feet.

A lot of female patients suffer from a condition called Achilles tendinitis. This is foot pain usually felt behind the foot. When wearing high heels for long periods of time, the unusual position of the foot shortens the Achilles tendon. Now back at home, where the feet return to the normal position, a tightening effect or the stretching of the Achiilles tendon occurs causing some discomfort. Eventually, the prolonged use of these types of shoes can cause the Achilles tendon to be painful and inflamed.

Another common cause of foot pain is plantar fasciitis. This is due to the injury or inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a strong fibrous tissue found under the foot, and is responsible for maintaining the arch of the foot. For this reason, the plantar fascia is constantly under stress when walking or running. That’s why this structure is always prone to injury causing mild to severe foot pain.

In cases of foot pain, the first thing that can be done is the RICE method:

REST

Allowing the foot to rest is the primary goal to relieve pain and also treating the injury causing the pain. Taking pain relievers is not recommended because it masks the pain, allowing you to use your foot, which can further cause injury. 

ICE

Applying cold stimuli to the injured foot can decrease the pain and swelling. 

COMPRESS

Wrapping the foot with an elastic bandage helps immobilize the foot, this helps in the healing process. Also, it helps in controlling swelling.

ELEVATE

Lastly, if the foot is really swollen, raising the foot above the heart can prevent pooling of bodily fluids on the affected foot.

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.

Common Causes of Heel Pain

There are several conditions that can cause heel pain like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, arthritis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, Sever’s disease, and stress fractures.

Plantar fasciitis is caused by the inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a strong fibrous tissue found underneath the foot. Pain is felt underneath the heel. Pain is felt when you take your first steps out of bed or from a long drive.

Achilles tendinitis is due to an inflamed Achilles tendon, a tendon found behind the foot causing posterior heel pain. Characteristic pain of Achilles tendinitis is progressive pain while walking or standing at the back of the foot.

Sever’s disease or calcaneal apophysitis is the most common cause of heel pain in children and teenagers. Pain is due to repetitive strain to the growth plates of the heel bone.

Fortunately, all of these conditions can be relieved by the RICE method. If you suffering for heel pain and need a quick fix, try this method:

REST – The reason why acute heel pain turns to a chronic one is because we don’t allow our foot to rest. Every time we feel any foot pain, we take pain killers. This is very wrong because your are masking the pain, allowing you to use your foot; hence, adding more injury. Allowing the foot to rest, allows the small injuries to heal.

Ice – Applying cold stimuli is a simple way to reduce the pain and swelling.

Compress – Applying an elastic bandage helps reduce swelling and also immobilizes the foot. Immobilizing the foot is an excellent way to allow the foot to heal.

Elevate – Sometimes body fluids tend to pool on the foot especially when it’s injured. Elevating the foot above the heart allows the fluid to return to the circulation, drastically reducing swelling and pain.

Understanding Foot Pain

Our foot consists of an intricate network of bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, all beautifully held together and designed to bear the weight of the body. Though our foot is a strong and stable structure, it too is vulnerable to injury, causing mild to severe foot pain.

Foot pain can affect any part of the foot, from the tips of the toes to the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. Initially, foot pain usually starts as micro injuries on some of the structures of the foot; usually the plantar fascia or Achilles tendon, causing these structures to swell up and experience mild to extreme foot pain. Although mild foot pain can easily be treated at home, it will take time for the injuries to heal. But most often, mild foot pain can progress to chronic foot pain due to lack of knowledge on how to properly treat the early signs of pain.

Every time we hurt ourselves, it is quite normal to take medications for the pain. Unfortunately, taking pain killers for foot pain could actually make the condition worse. Pain is like a signal, telling you that there is something wrong with your foot and you need to give it some rest. When you take pain killers, you are masking the pain, allowing you to use your injured foot, hence causing more injury which could lead to chronic heel pain.

When you experience mild foot pain, allow your foot to rest for a few days. If your foot is swollen, it is advisable to apply cold stimuli to reduce the pain and swelling. Wrapping the foot is great in immobilizing the foot. A foot that is allowed to rest can heal faster. Also, elevating the foot above the heart is also an effective way to reduce swelling. You will know if your foot is ready when you no longer feel any pain when you step.