Do your first steps in the morning hurt your foot or heel? Ever been diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis? And have you heard about Plantar Fasciitis treatments?
Plantar Fasciitis can be painful and it is best to get effective treatment as soon as possible. The right treatment for your foot and heel pain is dependent on the cause and intensity of the pain. There are several effective treatment options to which Plantar Fasciitis’ pain does not stand a chance.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
In human anatomy, the sole of the foot, that is the undersurface of the foot, is referred to as the Plantar area. Plantar Fasciitis is therefore a condition of the sole of the foot. It is an inflammatory condition that occurs in the Plantar Fascia, also known as the bowstring-like ligament stretching underneath the sole. The Plantar Fascia attaches the heels to the toes, hence forming the arch of the foot. This Plantar Fascia works like a stretchable band which is longer in some people and not others. Damage to Plantar Fascia is the onset of Plantar Fasciitis, characterized by heel swelling and pains.
Causes Of Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is a result of any hurt or damage to the Plantar Fasciitis. It can also be a result of aging and the decline in the Plantar Fascia’s ability to stretch and maintain the body’s need for cushioning and comfort.
With old age, the Plantar Fascia’s stretchability reduces. Furthermore, the fat padding that absorbs shock and impacts on the leg becomes thinner hence exposing the Fascia to more damage and lesser ability to manage pains. These may cause a tear, bruises, or even swelling. Actions that introduce impacts on the heel and sole of the foot include running, walking, standing, and other rigorous foot exercises; these can cause Plantar Fasciitis.
In other words, Plantar Fasciitis is caused by repeated strain injury to the plantar Fascia and these strains can be from running or walking, jumping, or excessive pressure on the foot without sufficient gears.
Plantar Fasciitis can be disease-caused. Arthritis is a major cause of the condition.
Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis
Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis. The condition can cause tenderness of the bottom of the foot, too. These pains and tenderness may be worse in the morning or when you exert pressure on the leg/heel, especially for a long time.
As a result of pain or swelling, Plantar Fasciitis may make walking and other mobility exercise difficult. There is abnormal tension and stiffness in the heel when Plantar Fasciitis is present. Sometimes, the sole of the foot can be red, swollen, tender, and very sensitive to touch or stepping.
Plantar Fasciitis Testing And Diagnosis
Diagnosing Plantar Fasciitis is quite simple and requires no extra equipment or testing kits. Usually, the foot, as well as symptoms/complaints, are reviewed by the doctor. A foot with the condition is tender, causing pain, and may swell.
As much as pains and swelling can be caused by other factors and conditions such as fracture, dislocation, tumor, or physical injury, these possibilities are ruled out by tests such as X-ray or MRI.
Plantar Fasciitis Treatments And Their Effectiveness
Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis varies and is usually dependent on the cause and intensity of pain. However, in most cases, the doctor starts with basic treatments that can be done at home. Basic treatment includes
- Losing weight to reduce pressure on the heels
- The reduction in the rate of exercising
- The use of orthotics
- Ice massage to reduce pains
- Proper use of supportive gears and shoes with sufficient cushion.
- Use some type of padding on the floor on which you stand for long
Another treatment method is stretching your legs and feet. Exercises that strengthen the leg’s muscles such as standing on your foot at the edge of a step while stretching and relaxing are great for the feet’s strength and agility.
Furthermore, medications have been used as a treatment for Plantar Fasciitis, too. An anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen can reduce the pain and swelling but be sure to have a prescription.
More advanced and most recent treatment methods include the use of shockwave, ESWT, prolotherapy, PRP, and micro-debridement.
In most cases, the aforementioned treatments have proven to work wonders in alleviating pains and managing the condition. Their effectiveness is graded about 90percent. However, when these conservative methods fail or the condition is very critical, there is an option for surgery. Surgery is performed on chronic inflammation of the Plantar Fascia.
Conclusion
Although Plantar Fasciitis can be very painful, it is very easy to treat when it is in the early stage. Hence, it is best to treat it as quickly as possible because when it advances to a chronic stage, mild treatments may be rendered ineffective and the level of pain and discomfort increases exponentially.
