Plantar Fasciitis

The sole of the foot is what is referred to as the plantar area. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation to the plantar fascia ligament.  It is an injury causing micro-tears to the ligament as it attaches to the heel bone or other areas of tightness on the sole of the foot. The plantar fascia is the largest ligament in the human body.

Who’s at Risk:
It is most commonly found in people that do excessive running or walking, have low or very high arches, who tend to be overweight, or that spend long hours on their feet especially when wearing inadequate foot gear.

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis:

• Heel pain
• Foot Pain
• Stiffness
• Tenderness

Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis:
Physical therapy methods, including stretching exercises, are used to treat and prevent plantar fasciitis. Other methods of treatment may include anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or cortisone injections.  These are often helpful along with custom-made orthotics.

Some patients who had custom-made orthotics made, noticed a difference in about 2 weeks. Their natural arch came back after a few months, for those who wore them continuously. The patients who opted out of medication treatments are highly recommended to buy a great sports running shoe that has soft, cushioned soles to reduce irritation of inflamed tissues from plantar fasciitis.  In some rare cases, surgery is performed on chronically inflamed plantar fascia if conservative treatments fail.

Methods of Prevention:

• Wearing appropriate foot gear
• Make stretching and flexibility part of your daily routine – allow yourself plenty of time to warm up and stretch your calf and feet before beginning any activity

Before opting for immediate surgery, it is best to try the above conservative methods such as orthotics or medications for treatment first.