Plantar fasciitis and plantar fascia

Plantar fasciitis is a common and painful foot condition and is an inflammation of the ligament that connects the heel to the ball of the toes. It occurs when the plantar fascia becomes too inflamed.

The pain becomes evident during the day. This is due to the fact that the fascia contracts at night while you sleep. Although there may be times when you don’t feel any pain, it is only temporary. Once you stand for long periods of time or get up after sitting for a long time, the pain may come back.

There are several factors that can cause plantar fasciitis and these are as follows:

1) Excess of strenuous physical activities

2) Move heavy objects

3) arthritis

4) Diabetes

5) Abnormal foot mobility

6) Poor shoe quality

Plantar fasciitis can affect both feet, but it usually occurs in only one foot. The disease also develops gradually and only becomes apparent once excruciating pain is felt in the heel. However, this disease definitely has several symptoms, which you need to monitor to prevent it from becoming a major medical condition. These are the following symptoms associated with this disease:

1) A stabbing sensation in the sole of the foot

2) A progressive heel pain experienced as soon as you wake up and walk to do your morning activities or even after exercising.

3) Heel pain experienced after standing for a long period of time or getting up after sitting for a long time

4) There is some swelling in the middle part of the heel.

Once you experience these symptoms, it would be wise to note how often they occur and then see your doctor.

While seeking medical attention, your doctor will first check for any symptoms you may have experienced. The podiatrist will also point out any sensitive areas on your foot. This is necessary in order to rule out other factors causing heel pain. In addition to the physical exam, your podiatrist may also schedule a foot X-ray or even an MRI to see if you have a stress fracture.

The treatment of plantar fasciitis is quite simple. All that is needed is proper discipline and close adherence to the treatment regimen issued by the doctor.

For personal care treatments, these are the usual recommended procedures:

Night splint: This is usually done by wrapping the foot up to the calf with a splint while you sleep. The purpose of this is to support the tissues of the feet and Achilles tendon so they can stretch overnight.

Orthosis: This is an arch support, which works by distributing the pressure absorbed by the feet evenly in all areas.

Physical therapy: Rehabilitation exercises can strengthen the leg muscles and help stabilize the heel and ankle to absorb pressure.

If your plantar fasciitis condition is diagnosed as serious, you can use other medical methods to help relieve pain and treat your foot.

Corticosteroids – Your podiatrist will suggest this medication if other forms of treatment are not effective in treating you. This works by injecting a couple of doses into the fascia area to relieve pain. Sometimes iontophoresis can also be done instead of injecting corticosteroids. The medication is distributed within the fascia using gently induced electrical current to relieve pain.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy: This method uses sound waves as a means of stimulating the healing process of the affected area. If plantar fasciitis has been diagnosed as a chronic disease, this is the treatment method that is being adopted.

Surgery: When one undergoes surgery for plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia is removed from the heel bone. This is the final option and is only resorted to when other methods can no longer eliminate heel pain and the condition becomes too severe to manage.