Plantar fasciitis is a foot condition that is usually accompanied by much pain. It is a quite common condition.
Sometimes people confuse this with heel spurs. Plantar fasciitis is a syndrome of inflammation in the band of tissue that goes from the heel, along the arch of the foot.
Whereas a heel spur is a hook of bone that can form on the heel bone. A high rate of plantar fasciitis patients have also had heel spurs.
Plantar fasciitis is most often seen in middle-aged men and women, but can be found in all age groups. Plantar fasciitis is diagnosed with the classic symptoms of pain well localized over the heel area of the bottom of the foot.
Typically the pain is the most severe when a person first stands on their feet in the morning. The pain can go away pretty quickly but then it does come back after standing for long periods of time.
Sometimes a rapid gain of weight can accompany plantar fasciitis. It is seen in recreational athletes, especially runners.
The repetitive nature of some sports can cause the damage to the fibrous tissue and therefore lead to plantar fasciitis. There is also something else that can be causing this type of pain.
Sometimes tarsal tunnel syndrome can be suspected instead of plantar fasciitis. With tarsal syndrome, there is a vital nerve in the foot, the tibial nerve that is trapped and pinched as it passes through the tarsal tunnel.
This is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrists. If it is tarsal tunnel syndrome, it can be confused with plantar fasciitis.
Other problems can cause immense pain in the foot like stress fractures, fat pad necrosis and nerve entrapments. Rheumatologic conditions can also cause pain in the heel.
These syndromes such as Reiter's syndrome and ankylosing spondylitis can cause heel pain similar to plantar fasciitis. If your symptoms are not typical for plantar fasciitis, or if your symptoms do not resolve with treatment, your doctor will consider these possible diagnoses.
You're more likely to get the condition if you're a woman, if you're overweight, or if you have a job that requires a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces. You're also at risk if you walk or run for exercise, especially if you have tight calf muscles that limit how far you can flex your ankles.
People with very flat feet or very high arches are also more prone to plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs because of irritation to the thick ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot.
This strong and tight tissue contributes to maintaining the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run.
Therefore, the stress placed on this tissue is tremendous. When a patient has plantar fasciitis, the connective tissue that forms the arch of the foot becomes inflamed (tendonitis) and degenerative (tendinosis)--these abnormalities cause plantar fasciitis and can make normal activities quite painful.
As mentioned earlier, the worse pain can be after sleeping for a long period of time. The arch tissue is tight and simple movements can stretch the contracted tissue and cause a good deal of pain.
As the foot begins to loosen the pain usually subsides but it can return when being stood upon or walked on for long periods of time.
Treatment recommended:
Treatment of plantar fasciitis is with short-term rest and controlling the inflammation. Some doctors prescribe medication but if anything is given, it is usually pain medications.
Some patients get some pain medication before they go on a trip or when they know they are going to be on their feet for long periods of time. It is best treated though with good habits.
Here are the steps patients should take in order to cure their plantar fasciitis:
- Rest
- Ice
- Exercises and Stretches
- Active Release Technique
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has worked as a podiatrist and foot surgeon for the past 14 years and written hundreds of articles about various foot conditions includingplantar fasciitis.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 