8 Things You Need to Know Regarding Plantar Fasciitis
This is a condition that is commonly defined as pain in the heel.
However, this is actually a misnomer due to the fact that most of the people who suffer from this condition feel it more on the bottom of their foot towards the arch as opposed to in their heel.
The pain is stabbing and sharp and can be at its most intense when you are taking your first steps in the morning or after you have been sitting for a while.
This condition is actually a disorder of the ligament known as the plantar fascia which connects your toes to your heel.
The understanding that we have about this condition is changing.
At first, medical personnel were of the opinion that the pain associated with this was due to inflammation.
More recent research though shows that there is actually a degeneration of the structure that is caused by overuse and tearing on a microscopic level.
This is a common condition.
It is estimated that 10 percent of Americans will contract this condition at one point or another during their lifetime.
Staying sedentary does not make you safe either.
Active people and sedentary people are equally affected.
The plantar fascia in your foot can actually rupture.
This is a worst case scenario where the ligament tears.
Signs and symptoms include:
Seventy percent of the people who suffer from this are obese.
Another large factor is wearing shoes that are worn out.
This can generally be diagnosed by a clinical exam.
In rare instances an MRI or an X-ray will be used.
Generally, the medical professional will check for tender spots alongside the inner area of your heel bone.
He will check the dorsiflexion and then ask you a number of questions regarding your medical history and your symptoms.
Statistically speaking, roughly half of the people who suffer from this condition also have heel spurs.
Researchers have concluded that these spurs themselves are painless.
In fact, most of the time people are not even aware that they have a heel spur.
There are no symptoms of this.
With the implementation of conservative measures such as:
If you haven't seen any improvement within a reasonable amount of time then there is also something called Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy that might give you some relief.
While there have been reports of corticosteroid injections giving instant relief of this pain, after a three month period the effectiveness of this decreases.
Also, these injections can actually lead to a rupture of the plantar fascia or cause thereto be muscle or nerve injury or even an atrophy of the fat pad.
If you suffer from this condition, there are OTC remedies that may help.
They include things like a splint to be worn at night or even custom orthotics.
It is important that you see a doctor about this condition before it worsens though.
However, this is actually a misnomer due to the fact that most of the people who suffer from this condition feel it more on the bottom of their foot towards the arch as opposed to in their heel.
The pain is stabbing and sharp and can be at its most intense when you are taking your first steps in the morning or after you have been sitting for a while.
This condition is actually a disorder of the ligament known as the plantar fascia which connects your toes to your heel.
The understanding that we have about this condition is changing.
At first, medical personnel were of the opinion that the pain associated with this was due to inflammation.
More recent research though shows that there is actually a degeneration of the structure that is caused by overuse and tearing on a microscopic level.
This is a common condition.
It is estimated that 10 percent of Americans will contract this condition at one point or another during their lifetime.
Staying sedentary does not make you safe either.
Active people and sedentary people are equally affected.
The plantar fascia in your foot can actually rupture.
This is a worst case scenario where the ligament tears.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Acute pain located in the sole of your foot
- Swelling that is significant
- A snapping or clicking sound
Seventy percent of the people who suffer from this are obese.
Another large factor is wearing shoes that are worn out.
This can generally be diagnosed by a clinical exam.
In rare instances an MRI or an X-ray will be used.
Generally, the medical professional will check for tender spots alongside the inner area of your heel bone.
He will check the dorsiflexion and then ask you a number of questions regarding your medical history and your symptoms.
Statistically speaking, roughly half of the people who suffer from this condition also have heel spurs.
Researchers have concluded that these spurs themselves are painless.
In fact, most of the time people are not even aware that they have a heel spur.
There are no symptoms of this.
With the implementation of conservative measures such as:
- Weight loss
- Ibuprofen or aspirin
- Calf stretches
- Ice
- Rest
If you haven't seen any improvement within a reasonable amount of time then there is also something called Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy that might give you some relief.
While there have been reports of corticosteroid injections giving instant relief of this pain, after a three month period the effectiveness of this decreases.
Also, these injections can actually lead to a rupture of the plantar fascia or cause thereto be muscle or nerve injury or even an atrophy of the fat pad.
If you suffer from this condition, there are OTC remedies that may help.
They include things like a splint to be worn at night or even custom orthotics.
It is important that you see a doctor about this condition before it worsens though.
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