One of the symptoms of plantar fasciitis is a pain in your heel when you wake up in the morning. If not treated, the pain will become more intense over time. Once a doctor has confirmed you have plantar fasciitis, he will recommend several therapies. You may need more than one to help you heal faster. Some of the recommendations include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation and the pain, steroid injections if the pain is severe and physical therapy.
In the following article on health.havard.edu, the writer discusses some simple therapies that will help you cope with the pain from plantar fasciitis.
The Value of Physical Therapy in Healing Plantar Fasciitis
Getting out of bed in the morning marks the beginning of a new day, but it can be an excruciating start for people with plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain in adults. Plantar fasciitis affects more than two million people each year in the United States, and the majority of them are women.
The main symptom is intense pain that feels like a deep bruise on the bottom of the foot, just in front of the heel. It’s usually at its worst first thing in the morning and when you get up after sitting for a long time. The pain may go away as you walk around, but it’s likely to return at the end of the day if you spend a considerable part of it on your feet. Read more here
Doctors tend to avoid using surgery to fix plantar fasciitis unless it is necessary. Most first recommend physical therapy and observe how your heel responds. Exercises that strengthen and stretch your plantar fascia, lower leg muscles, and Achilles tendon are critical in pain reduction. Your physical therapist will massage your foot, give you contrast baths, and use ultrasonography for long-term benefits. Visit Providence’s Plantar Fasciitis Treatment content for more information.
In the next article, the writer discusses some of the things you should do if you still experience pain after weeks of therapy.
Solutions for Advanced Plantar Fasciitis
Heel pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis, a condition that is sometimes also called heel spur syndrome when a spur is present. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation or, rarely, a cyst.
Because there are several potential causes, it is important to have heel pain properly diagnosed. A foot and ankle surgeon is able to distinguish between all the possibilities and to determine the underlying source of your heel pain. Read more here
Unfortunately, even after weeks of intense therapy, you may still experience pain in your heels. If the treatment your doctor recommended is not working, it may be best to try other solutions. Some of the remedies that are used if the pain persists include injection therapy, the use of a removable walking cast, and a night splint. When a splint is used as you rest, the plantar fascia is stretched, and this reduces the pain when you take your first steps in the morning.
In this article by kintec.net, the writer gives a vivid background on plantar fasciitis, its cause, treatments, and factors that put you at risk.
Internal Factors that May Cause Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis (fash-ee-ahy-tis) is the most common cause of foot pain1. It’s usually described as sharp pain in the heel, especially when you take your first steps in the morning.
It occurs when there is a structural breakdown of your plantar fascia2, which is a thick fibrous band of tissue (fascia) on the bottom (plantar side) of our feet that connects your heel bone to your toes. This often leads to small tears in the tissue causing recurring cycles of inflammation and pain3.
When your plantar fascia become damaged and inflamed, the resulting pain can severely limit your ability to stay active on your feet. Read more here
Plantar fasciitis can be caused by both external and internal factors. The activities you are involved in, and the shoes you wear may lead to plantar fasciitis. However, several internal factors may be beyond your control. For example, your plantar fascia may have some abnormalities, such as small tears in the tissues, altered tissue composition, and an increase in the nerve endings.
The fat pad on your heels may also degenerate due to your age. Your doctor or consultant will need to determine if the pain in your heels is as a result of internal or external factors.