Plantar fasciitis is a debilitating condition that affects people from all walks of life--athletes and armchair athletes, as well as others who spend time on their feet during their jobs. The plantar fascia is a long set of fibrous tendons that run down the bottom of the foot and attach near the toes and the bottom of the heel. Its purpose is to provide stability during walking and running and to assist with lifting off when you extend your foot during plantar extension. While it most often occurs during overuse in sports, it can also occur during weight gain or when you do something physically out of the ordinary. The good news is that the treatment is usually simple, although complete recovery can take months and even as long as a year.
Heel Pain
The most common complaint by sufferers of plantar fasciitis is a sharp, stabbing heel pain directly under the heel or slightly forward of it. Rarely is the pain felt anywhere else. The pain is often so excruciating that you cannot put even the slightest amount of pressure on your heel. Oftentimes, wearing elevated heels, padded heel lifts or orthotics will temporarily lessen the pain, but until the inflammation has been treated, you'll continue to suffer from the pain.
Pain in the Morning
Plantar fasciitis pain is usually the worst in the morning. While sleeping, most people's feet flex downward at their ankles toward the soles of their feet, which shortens the plantar fascia. Since you're also not applying pressure to the fascia during sleep, most people rarely feel the symptoms of plantar fasciitis until they get up in the morning. The first time they apply pressure onto their heels after swinging their feet onto the floor, they feel the pain at its worst. After they've begin to walk around and slowly begin to stretch the fascia, the symptoms begin to lessen but rarely disappear entirely.
Alleviating the Pain
While plantar fasciitis sounds like a relatively simple condition, it can have absolutely debilitating results. It makes it difficult to walk and all but eliminates sports, especially those that emphasize running and jumping. Most people notice that the pain is the worst in the morning when they first get out of bed but gets better during the day. The most effective way to deal with the symptoms is by working with a podiatrist. A podiatrist can X-ray your feet to see if heels spurs have formed, a common situation that can dramatically affect your pain and treatment options. Assuming that there are no heel spurs, patients are often prescribed a night splint, which helps to stretch the plantar fascia, one of the most important parts of rehabilitation. They'll probably also be instructed to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to hasten the healing process. Only the worst cases require more aggressive care like steroid injections or surgery.
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