For a long time, plantar fasciitis was associated with athletes, especially long-distance runners, because of the pressure exerted on their heels. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case and the injury is becoming more common. More people are being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. This is because the tissues and muscles in the foot constantly degenerate over time and as we age. For example, if you exercise intensely, your foot may bear the biggest brunt in your attempt to stay healthy. Unfortunately, people with a sedentary lifestyle are also at risk, especially when they become obese. The weight of the body has increased over the same surface area of the foot which also increases the chance of injury.
In the following article, Stephanie Mansour looks at the first signs of plantar fasciitis and some of the exercises that help to relieve the pain.
Tips on How to Identify Plantar Fasciitis
Those who have suffered from plantar fasciitis — the inflammation of the ligament that runs along the bottom of your foot — know that the stabbing pain can be debilitating, often keeping you sidelined from your favorite activities.
“Plantar fasciitis seems to have recently reached epidemic proportions,” says Dr. Doug Tumen a board-certified podiatrist and author of “Ask the Foot Doctor”. “Because the average person takes at least 5000-7000 steps per day, and because we live in a world of concrete and hard surfaces, our feet are continually taking a significant impact and load on a daily basis.” Read more here
The first sign that may warn you of possible plantar fasciitis is a sharp pain at the bottom of your foot. If you have been on your feet for too long, resting it for some time will help reduce the pain. If the pain is due to sitting for an extended period, walking around with stretch your muscles and ease the pain. If you are not able to walk a little to manage the pain, you can massage the heel of your foot with a frozen water bottle to provide some cooling relief.
In the next article on wakehealth.edu, the writer gives tips on managing plantar fasciitis.
Managing Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a very common condition that can affect people of all different activity levels, but it’s more frequently experienced by those who are physically active.
A lot of running, dancing or other high-impact activities can initiate the condition, says Christina S. Long, DPM, podiatrist at Wake Forest Baptist Health. “Repetitive pulling of the plantar fascia, the 3 bands of tissue that run from the bottom of the heel to the ball of the foot, can cause inflammation and micro tears, which most commonly lead to pain at the bottom of the heel and sometimes through the bottom arch of the foot,” she explains. Read more here
When you are diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, you need to learn how to manage it. Sometimes, physical therapy will help alleviate the pain. However, it is essential for you to seek the root cause of the condition to help you manage it better. For example, if an intense physical activity or wearing the wrong shoes is the cause, you need treatment. However, you also need to avoid activities that put extreme pressure on your feet.
In the following article, Markham Heid discusses some of the best ways to treat plantar fasciitis.
The Best Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis
Often described as a throbbing pain that strikes the meat of the heel and radiates outward, plantar fasciitis is one of the most common foot conditions in the U.S. Roughly 2 million Americans suffer from it, and it can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months at a stretch. In some cases, it can even be a chronic ailment.
The plantar fascia is a fan-shaped band of connective tissue that runs along the underside of the foot, spanning the arch and attaching at the heel and between the bones of the toes. Plantar fasciitis results when that connective tissue is somehow injured or inflamed… Read more here
When in pain, you should probably ask the doctor for the best treatment because all you want is for the pain to be eased. However, what may be the best treatment for you may not work for someone else. Doctors look at how severe the damage is when recommending treatment. For some people, surgery may be the appropriate treatment because of the extent of damage to the tissues.
It is best to pay a visit to a bone specialist or orthopaedic doctor for an accurate diagnosis of your foot or plantar fasciitis problem and go for the right healing plan.