Causes And Treatments of Plantar Fasciitis
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a prevalent, painful foot condition affecting millions worldwide.
Most patients who suffer from plantar fasciitis are active adults aged 25–65.
Plantar fasciitis develops when the plantar fascia, a fibrous band of tissue on the sole that supports the arch, becomes overworked or stretched.
Overuse or over time, the fascia loses elasticity or resilience and can become irritated, causing pain.
Diagnoses and Tests
How is Inflammation of the plantar fascia diagnosed?
A doctor diagnoses plantar fasciitis after a physical examination. They will ask about your symptoms and examine your foot.
They may lightly press on the plantar fascia to check for inflammation and assess your pain level.
Inform your doctor about the discomfort you feel daily.
Tell him where your foot hurts and when it hurts the most during the day.
What tests does the doctor perform to detect plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is frequently diagnosed without the need for any tests.
If the pain is suspected to be caused by another problem or condition, imaging tests, including photographing your foot, may be conducted.
What are the signs of plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis symptoms can occur gradually over time or suddenly after solid physical exercise.
Recognising the signs is critical for early intervention and effective therapy.
The severity and length of symptoms may differ from person to person. The most prevalent symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:
Pain in the bottom of the foot, near the heel. This is the most common and recognisable indication of plantar fasciitis. This discomfort could be a mild aching or a severe stabbing feeling. The arch of the foot, located on the underside, may also ache or burn.
I experience severe heel or foot discomfort upon waking up in the morning or after a prolonged period of relaxation. This soreness usually goes away after a few minutes of walking.
Heel or foot pain that intensifies after physical activity but does not typically occur while exercising. Climbing stairs can be unpleasant.
Tenderness when you touch the affected area, particularly near the heel.
Stiffness in the foot is typical, particularly after waking up or sitting for an extended period. This stiffness makes it difficult to walk comfortably.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis develops when the thick band of tissue on the sole (the fascia) is overstretched or subjected to severe strain from recurrent stress during activities like standing or running.
It can also be associated with considerable weight gain, notably during pregnancy.
The continual stretching and tension on the plantar fascia can cause chronic degeneration or tiny rips in the fascial fibres, especially where the fascia joins the calcaneus.
In addition to rips, ultrasonography studies frequently show calcifications and thickening of the plantar fascia.
Specific Risk Factors Can Increase Your Susceptibility.
- Foot arch issues (both flat and high)
- Long-distance running or downhill jogging on uneven terrain.
- It is being overweight.
- A stretched Achilles tendon
- Shoes with low arch support or soft soles
- Abrupt fluctuations in activity level.
The diagnosis of plantar fasciitis
If you suspect you have plantar fasciitis or have recurrent foot discomfort, consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Early intervention and appropriate plantar fasciitis treatment can help you feel better and live better.
Your doctor will evaluate your foot, looking for the following symptoms or risk factors of plantar fasciitis:
- An area of most extraordinary tenderness on the bottom of the foot, immediately in front of the heel bone.
- High arch or flat foot (risk factor)
- Limited dorsiflexion, or “upward movement” of the ankle.
The absence of symptoms from other foot disorders that may mimic plantar fasciitis, such as Achilles tendonitis (insertion), heel stress fracture, or plantar nerve entrapment.
In addition to a physical examination of your foot, your doctor may recommend an X-ray or ultrasound if your medical history or examination reveals other injuries or diseases, such as heel spurs, fractures, or arthritis.
Furthermore, the ultrasound scan may reveal thickening and swelling of the plantar fascia, a common illness characteristic.
If the initial treatment approaches do not relieve your pain or your doctor suspects another disease causes your discomfort, your doctor may recommend a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound scan.
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
Most plantar fasciitis patients recover within nine to twelve months after beginning non-surgical therapy techniques.
Standard treatment options include:
Rest. Taking a break from activities that increase the discomfort is typically the first step in treatment.
Rest allows the plantar fascia time to mend. During this recovery period, you can participate in low-impact sports like cycling or swimming, as well as activities that place less strain on your feet than walking or jogging.
Ice. Applying ice to the affected area might help reduce inflammation and pain. Try rubbing your foot over a cold water bottle or adding an ice pack to the aching spot.
Ice should be administered thrice daily for 15 to 20 minutes, particularly after painful exercises.
Stretching. Strict foot and calf muscles aggravate plantar fasciitis. Targeted stretching exercises might help extend these muscles and alleviate strain on the plantar fascia.
Night splints. Night splints stretch the plantar fascia while you sleep. This keeps the plantar fascia from constricting overnight, reducing morning discomfort and stiffness.
A night splint, while challenging to adjust to at first, can successfully treat heel discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis.
Wear supportive shoes. To avoid plantar fasciitis pain, wear shoes with adequate support and cushioning. Avoid shoes that are out of date or do not provide adequate support.
Orthotics are custom-made shoe inserts that your doctor may recommend if your pain continues.
Physical treatment. Your doctor may advise you to undertake an exercise programme with a physiotherapist focusing on stretching the calf muscles and plantar fascia therapy.
A physiotherapy regimen may also involve targeted cold treatments, massage, and other therapies to alleviate inflammation in the plantar fascia area.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). Over-the-counter NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, can help with pain and inflammation. To avoid potential side effects, NSAIDs should be used under the supervision of a doctor and for a limited period.
If the preceding treatments do not relieve the discomfort, your doctor may consider the following:
A walking boot and crutches. These will be utilised for a brief time to rest your foot.
corticosteroid injections. Corticosteroid injections may be used to treat severe pain and inflammation that does not respond to more conservative therapies.
These injections can provide temporary relief. However, your doctor may limit or avoid this treatment because steroid injections weaken the plantar fascia and cause a tear, resulting in flattening of the foot and chronic pain.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive treatment that delivers high-energy shock waves to promote plantar fascia tissue recovery.
However, the therapy is not appropriate for everyone.
Botulinum toxin (found in Botox and other products). This treatment employs a protein generated by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
Botulinum toxin injections can help relax the tissue in and around the plantar fascia, relieving pain.
Dry needling involves inserting a sterilised, tiny needle into the skin to stimulate a myofascial trigger point.
Dry needling is a popular treatment for plantar fasciitis; however, its efficacy is debatable.
A meta-analysis found that dry needling lowers pain severity in the short term.
Laser treatment. Your doctor may recommend low-level laser therapy to alleviate the discomfort and inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis.
An analysis of studies discovered that low-level laser therapy can alleviate heel discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis for up to three months.
Foot surgery. Although non-surgical treatments almost invariably alleviate plantar fasciitis discomfort, surgery may be required in certain circumstances.
Do You Need Surgery?
Because non-surgical therapy helps more than 90% of individuals with plantar fasciitis, surgery is typically used as a last resort.
Most people get satisfactory results after surgery. However, surgery has dangers and might result in prolonged pain and discomfort.
Surgical Treatments Include:
Gastrocnemius contraction. This surgical method involves making a small incision on the inside of the calf (gastrocnemius) and lengthening the calf muscles with a specific device.
The technique promotes ankle joint mobility while relieving plantar fascia tension. Gastrocnemius recession can cause nerve injury and calf weakness, but the danger is minimal.
Partial relaxation of the plantar fascia. To alleviate tension in the plantar fascia, make an incision on the underneath or side of the heel.
Nerve injury is a regular consequence of this sort of surgery.
Which shoes are the best for plantar fasciitis?
Choosing the appropriate shoes for plantar fasciosis is critical. Proper footwear can significantly lessen the likelihood of acquiring or worsening the problem.
Here are some crucial qualities to look for in plantar fasciitis footwear:
Architectural support. Good arch support distributes pressure evenly throughout the foot, reducing stress on the plantar fascia.
Cushioning. Wearing shoes with enough arch and forefoot cushioning helps reduce strain on the plantar fascia.
Heel support. Choose shoes with a sturdy heel counter.
When you step and your heel hits the ground, a lot of tension is applied to the fascia, resulting in microtrauma (little tears in the tissue).
Soft silicone heel cushions are affordable and act to raise and cushion the heel.
Shock absorption. Choose shoes with good shock-absorbing capabilities, particularly at the heel area. Cushioned soles or gel insoles can improve shock absorption.
Seek counsel from a podiatrist or orthopaedist, who can recommend appropriate shoes based on your foot anatomy and the severity of your plantar fasciitis.
Furthermore, commercially available or custom-made foot supports, known as orthoses, can help to distribute pressure more evenly across your feet.
Stretching exercises for plantar fasciitis.
Research shows that plantar fasciitis-specific stretching exercises can be beneficial as part of the therapeutic process. In one study, stretching the plantar fascia for eight weeks reduced heel discomfort by 52%.
To avoid plantar fasciitis, keep the calf muscles loose.
You can perform these stretches thrice daily: in the morning, before lunch, and before bedtime.
Calf stretch. Lean forward into a wall, keeping one knee straight and your heel on the floor.
Place the second leg forward, knee bent. Push your hips towards the wall. You should feel a tug in your calf as you stretch.
Hold this position for 15–30 seconds. Make sure to extend both legs.
Stretching the plantar fascia. Sit in a chair and put one foot on the floor. Lift the other leg and rest your ankle on your knee in a figure-four stance.
Grab the toes of the lifted foot with your hand. Gently draw the toes back until you feel a stretch in the sole of your foot.
Using your other hand, gently massage the strained plantar fascia. Hold this position for ten seconds. Repeat this ten times for each foot.
It would be best to never substitute professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified practitioner with any information you see on this website, regardless of its date.
