Plantar Fasciitis

How to Manage Plantar Fasciitis

Heal pain is the most evident manifestations of plantar fasciitis, which is a condition characterized by the swelling of the plantar fascia tissue. Though it is common among people in the 40 to 60-year old bracket, it can happen to anyone and occur at any age, most especially among women and athletes.

Associated to the inflammation of the tissue are physical activities such as sports and long-distance running, lifestyle choices including low exercise activity and heavy body weight, and poor foot structure, which is characterized by having either flat feet or high feet arches.

Painful plantar fascia inflammation and irritation infographic

Some symptoms such as frequent pains on the bottom of the heel and in the arch of the foot can help you detect the condition. If these early symptoms are ignored, more often than not, the pain will progress within just a few months. Initial treatments for the plantar fascia tissue can ease the pain; however, it will take some time before it fully heals.

Different courses of action depend on the magnitude of the inflammation. As part of their routine, doctors ask for X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound diagnoses to have an assured and detailed investigation on the condition of the soles of the feet.

Plantar fasciitis mri

Help with plantar fasciitis usually entails initial treatment that the injured person can easily do. General pieces of advice are given to those who are suffering from this kind of foot injury on a lesser scale. One example is that he or she should rest his or her foot as much as possible and avoid excessive and prolonged running, walking, and even standing. Before starting a heavy physical workout or sport, the sufferer should first perform light walking and warm-up exercises as to not suddenly stretch the soles of the feet.

Fibromyalgia and Exercise
Fitting orthotic insoles

Cushioned shoes with good arch supports are recommended, while high-heeled and flat-soled shoes are discouraged to avoid strain on the feet’s arches; likewise, arch supports can be placed inside the shoes to increase support as well. Weight management is also enforced among the obese since excess body weight can put extreme pressure and stress on the feet.

shoe for plantar fasciitis

Doctors may also prescribe pain killers to patients to reduce the inflammation and tension in the heel’s ligaments. To further speed up the recovery process, those with plantar fasciitis perform a specific set of exercises that can ease symptoms and loosen up the tight fascia above and below the heel.

Some exercises are not totally physically staggering; the patient can even easily do it without supervision and equipment. One example is a rolling exercise of the foot in different directions while sitting, using a rolling pin or a soda can. Another exercise that the patient can perform while sitting is feet lifting while keeping the heel on the floor.

foot stretching exercises for plantar fasciitis

Calf raises done at the bottom step of the stairs, together with some feet exercises like the ones mentioned, can alleviate the condition of the heels, specifically, the plantar fascia tissue.

In brief, those simple treatments and exercises help with plantar fasciitis recovery. Though they are proven to be effective, there is no specific best treatment to heal the injury. A combination of different treatments may help depending on the person and his or her response.

Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis
Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis

If the conservative measures fail to show good results, one may turn to steroid injections, shock-wave therapies, and even surgery. However, one should keep in mind that he or she must always consult his or her doctor before undertaking any exercise, treatments and therapies, and surgeries.

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