Plantar Fasciitis - What it is and How to Treat It

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that occurs when the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed. The plantar fascia supports the arch and structure of the foot. It extends from the heel to the toes.

The pain one feels from the plantar fasciitis occurs on the bottom of the foot near the heel and is known to be a burning and sharp feeling.

It tends to feel worse in the morning when you get up and will usually get better the longer you remain standing on your feet.

The pain can recur if the person has been on their feet for a lengthy amount of time, especially on a hard surface. The pain can also occur in either or both feet.

According to Heelspurs.com, several things can cause the fascia to become irritated. The fascia support the arch and anything that puts an extra burden on it can cause tiny tears in the tissue. These tiny tears can lead to an inflammatory reaction and eventually, symptoms of the fascia.

Being over-weight, gaining weight, high-impact exercises, jogging, sports, diabetes, arch-less shoes, or other underlying foot problems can cause burden on the plantar fascia, according to wikipedia. Even being a woman can be a risk factor.

Tight Achilles tendons decrease the normal range of motion for the feet so that when the tendons are stretched past the limited range, stress is produced on the fascia. This is why the pain is worse in the morning.

The symptoms can last anywhere from a few months to a few years.

Treatment includes constantly stretching the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendons. If left untreated, it may become a chronic condition where you could develop symptoms of foot, knee, hip and back problems because of the way plantar fasciitis changes the way you walk.

Things to try at home to relieve the pain: icing your feet at the end of the day, take an anti-inflammatory medication, and wear shoes with good arch supports.

Talking to your doctor is another option. Your doctor will examine your foot to rule out other problems. They might even refer you to a physical therapist that can do targeted stretching and strengthen exercises based on the shape of your foot. There are also splints and boots that can be used to help stretch out the tissues in the lower leg and foot.

Here is one exercise idea to help ease the pain of plantar fasciitis:

Lean forward against a wall with one knee straight and hell on the ground. Your other knee is bent.

Your heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean.

Hold for 10 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 20 times for each sore heel.

This exercise will help to restore flexibility of the tendons and plantar fascia, which help relieve the symptoms.

Sources:

Scott, "Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spur, Heel Pain" Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spur, Heel Pain.
Wikipedia, "Plantar Fasciitis" Wikipedia.