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.

  

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Our feet are probably the most used but most ignored parts of our body. During the day, an average person will spend about 12 to 14 hours on his/her feet. Because the feet are used so much in daily activities, it is not surprising that the feet may become injured from time to time. Approximately 75% of people around the world suffer from foot pain at some stage in their lives. Foot pain can really affect a person’s daily activity. One of the most common cause of foot pain is plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia is a thick band of fibrous tissue found underneath the foot. It attaches to the calcaneous bone or heel bone to the metatarsals for the feet. It is responsible for maintaining the arch of the foot and acts like a shock absorber. Plantar fasciitis occurs because of extreme stress to the foot, causing micro injuries to the plantar fascia, making it inflamed and tender causing mild to severe foot pain.

Symptoms

•  Pain is worst when taking first steps after long rest like taking the first step when getting out of bed in the morning or after a long drive.
• Pain is felt underneath the foot
• Pain lessens upon using the foot, but pain may then gradually increase.
• Resting eases the pain
• Stretching the underside of the foot can be painful

Causes

• People who are runners, sprinters or engaged in any sport that involve tremendous stress to the foot
• Obese people commonly have plantar fasciitis
• The use of wrong footwear

Treatment

• Rest – resting the foot is the primary goal in treating plantar fasciitis. This allows the micro injuries to heal. Depending on the severity, it will take a few days to several months to treat plantar fasciitis.
• Ice - applying cold stimuli can help reduce pain and swelling.
• Compress – applying an elastic bandage help decrease the swelling and it immobilizes the foot for faster healing
• Elevate – elevating the foot above the heart is a good way to reduce swelling. This will prevent pooling for fluids to the affected foot.

Common Causes Of Heel Pain

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. This is due to the inflammation of the plantar fascia, a strong fibrous tissue found underneath the foot and connects to the calcaneus or heel bone to the metatarsals of the feet. 

If you experience heel pain when you take your first steps in the morning of after standing for long periods of time, then probably plantar fasciitis is the most probable cause. Plantar fasciitis also causes arch pain.

Heel spurs which are abnormal growths or protrusions of bone on the bottom of the heel bone, may cause foot pain when walking or standing. Heel spurs are commonly seen in people who suffer from plantar fasciitis, but heel spurs do not cause plantar fasciitis. If you have high arches or flat feet, then most probably you are suffering from heel spurs.

A fracture of the heel bone is most often caused by high impacts to the heel, typically a fall from high ground. Pain, swelling, bruising, limping and difficulty walking are all signs of a fractured foot.

A stone bruise is due to bruising of the fat pad of the heel. This occurs after stepping on a pebble or a small stone or any hard object. The heel may not change color  after the bruise. Pain reduces and disappears with rest.

Heel Pain Treatments

For Plantar fasciitis: RICE method

1.       Rest

2.       Ice

3.       Compress

4.       Elevate

For heel spurs:

1.       Custom made inserts

2.       Cut out heel pads

3.       Pain relievers

4.       Rest

5.       Surgery

For heel fractures

1.       Rest

2.       Padding or casting of the heel

3.       Pain relievers

4.       Surgery