Plantar Fasciitis Relief - Different Plantar Fasciitis Treatments

If you experience heel pain at the bottom of your heel especially when you walk just after getting out of bed, you might be having plantar fasciitis. In plantar fasciitis, the strong tissue at the bottom of your foot--called the plantar fascia--becomes irritated and inflamed.

Although there is no single cause of plantar fasciitis, several factors have been known to contribute to the development of the condition including

• Improper running practices such as increasing your running mileage too soon.

• Wearing the wrong kind of shoes, especially when worn for long periods.

• Foot abnormalities (e.g. high-arched foot or flat-foot)

• Sudden increase in weight.

Treatment Options for Plantar Fasciitis

Most cases of plantar fasciitis can be successfully treated with more conservative options with surgery considered only if all other treatment options have failed.

Nonsurgical/Conservative Treatments may include:

Rest and Ice Application. Rest whenever possible. Avoid engaging in activities or sports that makes your symptoms worse. Wrap an ice pack with towel and apply to your affected foot for about twenty minutes at a time, three to four times a day.

Medications. Take an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and inflammation. However, taking these kinds of drugs for long periods is not advisable. Talk to your doctor about alternative medications that you can take.

Physical therapy. Your doctor may recommend that you undergo physical therapy. Your physical therapist will perform a thorough evaluation and will create an individualized treatment plan for you based on your symptoms, needs and goals. Physical therapy treatments may include stretching, exercises to strengthen your muscles, taping and use of electrotherapeutic modalities. In addition, your therapist may recommend modifications of your shoes.

Steroid injections. A steroid, such as cortisone, is injected into your plantar fascia and is effective in treating pain and inflammation. However, experts advise avoiding multiple injections to the fascia as this may cause weakening of the tissue, which may lead to rupture.

Your health care provider may also suggest that you use heel cushions, arch supports or wear night splints.

Surgical Intervention

While majority of cases of plantar fasciitis can be effectively managed with conservative treatments, a few may need to undergo surgery to release the tight, inflamed fascia. According to the AAOS, surgery may only be considered when alternative treatments fail. Like any surgical procedure surgery to the plantar fascia has its complications including weakening of the foot arch and nerve damage.

References:

Plantar Fasciitis. Medline Plus, National Library of Medicine. Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007021.htm. Accessed on January 26, 2011

What is Plantar Fasciitis. University Sports Medicine. Available at http://ubsportsmed.buffalo.edu/education/plantarfas.html. Accessed on January 26, 2011

Plantar Fasciitis and Bone Spurs. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Available at http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00149. Accessed on January 26, 2011