Plantar Fasciitis Treatment to Get Rid of the Heel Pain

Does your heel pain as soon as you take the first step in the morning or after long period of weight bearing? More than 70% of people with such classical signs can be probably suffering from plantar fasciitis. Pain and inflammation at the bottom of the foot is the main presenting symptom.

Plantar fascia is the fibrous ligament below the heel bone that gets inflamed causing heel pain. Plantar Fasciitis is often known as a heel spur as it’s easy to say. Heel spur is the bony growth on the calcaneal bone. Due to similarity in the site of pain in plantar fasciitis and heel spur, these conditions may be misdiagnosed.

Causes and Risk Factors of Plantar Fasciitis

Repeated trauma
Being overweight
Occupation demanding standing
Sports activities
People with flat feet or high arches
Loss of tone of calf muscles
Shoes without proper cushion

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

Heel pain and Mild heel swelling are the symptoms.
Distinguishing feature of the pain of plantar fasciitis is as:
Stone bruise pain
Stabbing pain
Burning sensation
Pain site changes
Pain in the early morning
Pain after exercise (not during exercise)
Pain after a period of weight bearing
Pain reduces after warm up
Pain decreases with activity but then increases throughout the day as movements increase.

Other medical diagnoses with similar symptoms are:

Heel bruise
Calcaneal stress fracture
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Tendonitis
Plantar fascia rupture

Laboratory testing and radiograph is not necessary for plantar fasciitis. These can be helpful to diagnose other causes of heel pain.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

Proper height to weight ratio can help reduce the pressure on the arch of the foot.
Rest is a must to reduce inflammation.
Appropriate analgesics.
Ice application.
Exercises for stretching achilles tendon, calf muscles, and arch of the foot.
Arch supports or shoes with proper cushion.
Night Splints to exert a mild stretch on the plantar fascia.
Corticosteroid injections in severe acute cases could be of help, but should be discouraged.

Prevention:

Reduce weight-bearing activities
Shoes inserts and proper support to the arch of the foot
Foot exercises to maintain proper tone of the muscles.