“Plantar Fasciitis: Your Guide to Foot Pain Relief”

“Are you experiencing a sharp, stabbing pain in your heel when you take those first steps in the morning? You might be dealing with plantar fasciitis, a common condition that affects millions worldwide. But fret not, understanding the causes and effective remedies can put you back on the path to pain-free walking.”
When you get up and move, the pain usually decreases, but it can come back after long periods of standing or when you get up after being seated.

WHAT IS PLANTAR FASCIITIS?

PLANTAR FASCIITIS is a painful foot condition. It’s an inflammation of a thick band of tissues that cross the lower foot and connects the heel bone to your toes.
Plantar fasciitis is commonly caused by strain injury causing minor ligament tears by attaching to the heel bone or other areas of tightness on the sole of the foot.

SIGNS/SYMPTOMS

• Swelling and stiffness in the bottom of the foot. It may impact on the entire sole.
• Tension and tenderness in the heel.
• The worst heel pain in the morning, when you begin to walk in the morning.
• Difficult to walk barefoot.
• Tightness in Achilles tendon (tendon which attaches your calf muscles to your heel).
• Limping while walking due to pain.
• A burning ache in the heel.

CAUSES

Plantar fasciitis is more common in women than in men.

• This foot condition is mainly found in adults between the ages of 40 and 60. They are at a higher risk of developing plantar fasciitis.
• Women who are pregnant can experience episodes of plantar fasciitis, mainly in the end stage of pregnancy.
• Obese people are at higher risk of plantar fasciitis, due to great pressure on the ligaments of the sole.
• Structural foot problems like flat feet.
• Wearing improper shoes and soft soles, which provide less support to the foot.

DIAGNOSIS

• Your physician will perform a physical exam to test the tightness in your foot and the exact point of the pain. This is to make sure whether your pain is the result of plantar fasciitis or a different foot problem.
• They’ll also notice the redness and swelling at the bottom of your foot or near your heel.
• For assessment, he/she may ask you to flex your foot to see if the pain gets worse as you flex or not.
• If necessary your doctor may ask you for the imaging tests like an X-ray or an MRI scan.
• To check is there a cause of bone fracture or something else is causing your pain. Doctor will check your muscle strength and health of the nerves by testing your : reflexes, muscle tone, sense of touch, and the balance of your foot.

TREATMENT

The first way to treat plantar fasciitis is a home treatment like icing, using braces, using cold packs, and pain-killers. It takes around 6-12 months for your heel to get back to normal. you can do the following things to treat this pain at home.

• Take enough rest: It’s necessary to keep your foot weight off until the inflammation decreases.
• Stretch: Stretch your foot by bending it upwards and downwards 10 times before you stand. Before you off to bed in the morning you should do this. Lunges and calf raises are exercises, which can strengthen the muscles of the leg and foot and decreases pain.
• Icing: Apply ice on your feet. It’s one of the simplest ways to treat your heel pain. There are some methods of cold compression as follows:
  • To make a packet of ice, wrap a napkin around a plastic bag filled with crushed ice. Apply this on your heel 3-4 times a day for 15- 20 minutes at a time.
  • You can also fill a shallow saucepan with water and ice and soak your heels for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. Make sure you keep the toes out of the water.
  • Another option is for a small cup of paper or foam to be filled with water and frozen. Avoid the direct application of ice over the area.
• Splints: Use a night splint when you are sleeping. It helps to keep the foot and ankle in a position that holds the tendons of your lower leg slightly stretched.
• Massage: Massage your lower foot over the width of the plantar fascia before you get up from the bed.
• Athletic Tape: The use of athletic tape can provide support to your feet. It helps in performing movements.
• Weight losing: Try to lose your weight if you’re overweight. Carrying extra weight can cause worse pain.
• Arch supporters: Change the quality of your shoes, sandals. You can use insoles, orthotics, arch supporters they provide extra-cushion support and comfort to your feet. They are available over the counter (OTC), or you can have them custom made.
• Pain relievers: If you have severe pain so you can prefer pain-relieving drugs like (anti-inflammatory drugs) NSAIDs. It also helps in reducing inflammation.

If these pain-reducing home treatment tips can’t ease your pain, then you should visit your nearby health care provider as well as you can schedule a consultation appointment with our experienced Physiotherapists. To read more blogs like this, click here. You can also read our case studies.