By Rehan Iqbal
If you spend a lot of time on your feet, you may very well experience heel pain from a torn or inflamed plantar fascia. This is the ligament that runs the length of the sole of your foot from your calcaneous (heel) bone to your toes. People such as wait staff, educators, athletes and many others who spend a lot of time on their feet develop plantar fasciitis. This condition may manifest as a consistent, dull ache or sudden, stabbing pain or a combination of the two. In this article, we discuss the prevention and causes of plantar fasciitis and explain the treatment options that may be available. Read on to learn more.
This condition may manifest as a consistent, dull ache or sudden, stabbing pain or a combination of the two. In this article, we discuss the prevention and causes of plantar fasciitis and explain the treatment options that may be available. Read on to learn more.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Your feet are remarkably complex. A foot is made up of over a hundred muscles, ligaments and tendons, along with thirty-three joints and twenty-eight bones. The plantar fascia acts as a shock absorber at the base of this clockwork-like structure.
Whenever you are standing, your full weight is on your plantar fascia. When you walk, run or participate in sports, your plantar fascia absorbs the impact of these activities. If the plantar fascia is damaged or overworked, it becomes inflamed resulting in plantar fasciitis.
It’s easy to see that anyone who stands or walks a normal amount has a good chance of developing this problem with the passage of time. People who put an undue amount of stress and strain on the plantar fascia are even more likely to develop it.
In fact, about a tenth of the general population experiences plantar fasciitis at some time in life. Eight percent of people diagnosed with plantar fasciitis also experience tightness in the Achilles tendon.
Contributing factors to development of this malady include:
Excessive amounts of stretching, impact and pressure can cause small tears and inflammation of the plantar fascia.
What Are The Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis?
When the plantar fascia becomes injured or inflamed, it can cause a great deal of pain. Plantar fasciitis pain is usually felt at the point where the ligament joins with the heel bone. It can feel like a bruise on the sole of your foot, or it may feel as if you are stepping on something sharp every time you put your foot down.
Other symptoms include:
The pain is especially pronounced when you’ve been off your feet for a while. When you get out of bed in the morning, or if you get up after sitting for a long time, the pain may be very great. This is why it’s a good idea to do some foot stretches and exercises and give yourself a little foot massage before getting up after a long time off your feet.
Sometimes Plantar Fasciitis Causes Pain & Sometimes Pain Causes Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis can also cause pain in other locations. For example, because plantar fasciitis may affect your posture and your gait, it can end up causing low back pain. It is also possible for plantar fasciitis to cause nerve irritation, which can cause pain in the ankle.
Very often, people with plantar fasciitis experience calf pain. While it may seem as if the calf pain is caused by the plantar fasciitis, the reverse is true. Tight muscles cause calf pain, and those same tight muscles can cause or worsen plantar fasciitis.
A similar relationship exists between heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis may cause a heel spur to develop, but the heel spur does not usually cause pain, and it does not cause plantar fasciitis.
Similarly, it is very possible to have arthritic bones in your feet while simultaneously experiencing plantar fasciitis. One may exacerbate the symptoms of the other, but arthritis does not cause plantar fasciitis or vice-versa.
Understanding the Plantar Fascia
A flat band of tissue joins the heel bone to the toes. This band of tissue is called the Plantar Fascia. ‘Itis’ is a suffix which means pain and inflammation. That’s why the painful inflammation of the Plantar Fascia is known as Plantar Fasciitis.
The Plantar Fascia is the ligament that supports the arch of your foot. To understand why people suffer from Plantar Fasciitis, it is important to understand how this ligament can get affected in our daily life.
How Can You Be Sure You Have Plantar Fasciitis?
If you’ve experienced some of the symptoms listed here, you should see your doctor for a complete diagnosis. Your examination for plantar fasciitis will consist of an interview reviewing your medical history and lifestyle. Your doctor may ask if your pain is worse after exercise or after resting. He or she may want to know about previous injuries.
Your doctor will also perform a physical exam that includes a complete examination of your feet. Your doctor will ask about and check for numbness and/or tingling, which may indicate plantar fasciitis.
You may be asked to place pressure on your plantar fascia. Pain when doing so indicates plantar fasciitis.
Your doctor may ask you to raise your toes. If you have trouble with this, you may have plantar fasciitis.
This examination and series of questions will help your doctor eliminate other possible causes. This will guide your doctor in ordering imaging tests to pinpoint the cause of your pain. These may include ultrasound testing, bone scans, x-rays and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
What Can You Do About Plantar Fasciitis?
While it is possible to have surgery to correct plantar fasciitis, this is usually the last resort. The problem can very often be corrected and managed with exercise, stretching and at-home treatment.
This is not a quick fix. Indeed, it may take nearly a year to facilitate lasting healing, and you will need to practice good foot care health and habits in an ongoing manner for as long as you continue to walk, but this is a good thing. It’s a positive lifestyle change.
To remedy and prevent problems with plantar fasciitis, you should:
- 1Take your footwear seriously. Wear good quality, well fitted, appropriate shoes and boots with proper support.
- 2Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
- 3When your feet are painful, apply an ice pack several times daily for 10-15 minutes at a time.
- 4Don’t go barefoot or wear insubstantial, non-supportive shoes such as flip flops or sandals. If you do find ones with good arch support.
- 5Add arch supports and inserts as needed and/or instructed by your doctor or podiatrist.
- 6When you are experiencing pain, use crutches as needed to give your foot a rest.
- 7Massage your feet before getting out of bed and before going to sleep at night.
- 8In addition to resting your feet, be sure to give your whole body ample rest.
- 9Use appropriate padding when you are forced to stand on a hard floor.
- 10Give your arches more support by taping them with athletic tape.
- 11Do calf stretching exercises several times a day and at bedtime.
- 12Adopt low impact exercise, such as cycling and swimming.
- 13Avoid high impact exercise, such as running and jumping.
- 14Avoid excessive standing, impact and stress to your feet.
- 15Wear a night splint to help stretch your calf muscles.
- 16Elevate and rest your feet at the end of the day.
- 17Maintain a healthy weight.
In addition to things you can do on your own, your doctor may recommend:
If you adopt these good habits and follow your doctor and/or podiatrists’ advice consistently for ten months to a year, you should experience significant improvement and relief. If you do not experience positive recovery, your doctor may recommend surgery. Additionally, if your pain interferes significantly with your ability to work and participate in activities of daily living, your doctor may recommend surgery.
The two types of surgery used for relief of plantar fasciitis are gastrocnemius recession and plantar fascia release. The first lengthens the calf muscle, thereby reducing stress on the plantar fascia. The second bisects the plantar fascia to directly relieve tension.
Take A Proactive Stance Against Plantar Fasciitis
Even if you are not experiencing foot pain, developing the positive foot care habits recommended here is a good idea. By exercising appropriately, wearing good shoes, resting enough, taking care of your feet, etc., you can prevent the development of plantar fasciitis and a number of other foot problems. If you do develop foot pain, you may very well be able to deal with it on your own with these good habits alone. If your pain persists for more than a month, you should consult your doctor.
