DR. WALKER

Plantar Fasciitis

What is Plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is pain caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia which results in heel pain. The plantar fascia is a strong fibrous attachment that runs along the bottom of your feet spanning from your heel, to the ball of your foot/toes. The pain generally occurs after injury to this tissue, which often involves stretching the fascia beyond normal limits (Plantar fasciitis, 2022).
This is often seen in runners, tennis players, and volleyball players. Some newer information suggests that the pain is secondary to small tears in the plantar fascia, which take some time to heal. And as we are always on our feet, there is a strong possibility for reinjury.

What are the risk factors for plantar fasciitis?

Many times, there is no known or obvious cause of an inflamed fascia. About 2 million people, however, are treated for plantar fasciitis annually. Additionally, people who exercise or walk on hard surfaces routinely, or those who engage in jumping exercises without stretching or warming up first have a greater risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

How can I prevent plantar fasciitis?

• Stretching before, and after doing a workout.
• Foot care involves changing running/walking shoes every 6 to 9 months or before running 500 miles in them.
• Refrain from walking barefoot on hardwood floors.

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

• Keep in mind that the symptoms of plantar fasciitis may last several months to over a year. Some have reported that the pain is so intense that it prevents exercising or even walking at times.
• Stabbing heel pain that is usually worse in the morning or after taking the first few steps after waking up.
• Increased pain with prolonged standing or walking on hard surfaces without shoes.
• Tight or painful Achilles tendon
• Swelling around the heel (Plantar Fasciitis, 2022)

Are there exercises and stretches that can help?

• Place a folded towel on the edge of a step, for comfort. Place the ball of the affected foot on the towel and allow your heel to fall below the edge of the step using your normal foot for balance to begin with. Now, using the wall or railing for balance, raise yourself onto your toes then lower your heel back below the edge of the steps slowly. You can repeat until your foot becomes fatigued or do it for about 10 to 12 sets. As you strengthen your foot, you may be able to stand with your unaffected foot dangling freely over the edge of the step without support.
• Rolling the bottom of your foot along a frozen water bottle can loosen the plantar fascia. Cover the frozen bottle with a towel. You can perform this maneuver for 2 to 3 minutes while sitting in a chair (Plantar Fasciitis Exercises, n.d.).
• Wearing proper supportive shoes, make sure the shoes have built-in arch support and are well-cushioned.
• For relieving pain and inflammation in the foot, you can take over-the-counter NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, but make sure not to take them for ten days in a row. If the pain persists, then speak to a healthcare provider.
• Make sure to rest after engaging in strenuous activity to give the foot tissue time to heal. If you are diagnosed with plantar fasciitis due to playing a sport or engaging in any other activity, then you might have to pause that activity for up to 6 weeks to allow the injured foot to heal.

Self-care tips:

Know that both plantar fasciitis and heel spurs can result in some degree of pain. Generally speaking, however, the actual spur is seldom the cause of the heel pain but may be associated. It is not unreasonable to have an x-ray of your heel or an ultrasound to rule out heel spur as the source of your pain.

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