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Plantar Fasciitis Tips

The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the toe, running across the arch to the ball of the foot. Occasionally, this tissue can become inflamed and result in a condition known as plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis can develop because of unsupportive shoes, excessively high or low arches, athletes who overtrain, or can simply be due to aging and the decreasing flexibility of the plantar fascia.

  1. Diagnosis

    • The pain associated with plantar fasciitis is usually most intense in the center of the front portion of the heel and can stretch across the arch of the foot. The other end of the plantar fascia connects to the ball of the foot, so pain may also be felt there, too. Plantar fasciitis tends to be worse in the morning upon waking because the plantar fascia contracts during sleep because of the relaxed position of the foot. The pain is sharp, especially with those first few steps of the day, but tends to fade throughout the day.

    Treatment

    • The length of treatment for plantar fasciitis can range from six to 18 months and usually is dependent on how early treatment begins, making both patience and early diagnosis important. Because the pain associated with plantar fasciitis is primarily associated with swelling, anti-inflammatories (e.g., ibuprofen, NSAIDs) are often helpful in alleviating discomfort. Ice, either applied via ice massage or as an ice pack, will also help relieve swelling. Corticosteroids, either injected into the plantar fascia or diffused through the skin during a procedure called iontophoresis, will also decrease tissue swelling. Stretching the plantar fascia as well as the lower leg muscles will help relieve the tension and, therefore, the pain. A splint that is placed on the foot while sleeping to keep the foot in a flexed position and the fascia stretched is sometimes prescribed to people for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

    Prevention

    • Plantar fasciitis can be caused by weaknesses in the muscles of the lower leg and foot. Thus, strengthening these muscles by doing toe raises and toe curls can help prevent a case of plantar fasciitis. Supportive shoes are important, particularly for people who are active or are on their feet a lot. In addition, custom-made orthotics or commercially available shoe inserts can be placed inside the shoe to give extra support and help prevent plantar fasciitis.

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