Summit Pedorthics: The Basics of Plantar Fasciitis

You’re waking up one day, taking a few steps out of bed, when out of nowhere you fall back down to the mattress, bouncing dramatically, holding your foot, screaming in agony. The sharp, stabbing pains are now shooting through your heel and foot. They ease, sometimes, if you rest your leg, but as the day goes on, you feel it on the stairs, and occasionally now with each step.

Don’t panic. It’s most likely your plantar fascia screaming for relief! And relief is something that you can start doing at home!

Plantar Fasciitis is more common on the foot issue front, and affects a wider base of people than other foot ailments. Pregnant women, those with a family history, athletes, overweight individuals, middle aged humans, and those who wear poor quality footwear tend to have more bouts of plantar fasciitis throughout their lives.

What is plantar fasciitis? This happens when the ligament in your foot, specifically the plantar fascia, becomes strained. This ligament connects and helps support your heel bone to your toes, also supporting the arch of your foot. Regular walking causes the plantar fascia to pull and stretch with every step, and if it is inflamed, torn, or injured, this can make waking a painful experience! This is such a common ailment that 1 in 10 people will face it in their lifetime….repeatedly! Some may not even know it is PF!

Because 25% of the bones in your body are in your feet, you’ll want to be sure to take care of them bones! Your goals to help your PF heal are:

*Relieve inflammation in the heel and foot. Rest your feet! Limit the daily activities that cause you the most pain.

*Allow tears in the plantar fascia ligament to heal. Apply ice packs, try ice baths, or use cold massage techniques to help.

*Improve strength and flexibility by utilizing at home, simple exercises to keep the ligament pliable. Toe, calf, and leg stretches are super basic, and very helpful when combating plantar fasciitis.

*Take over-the-counter NSAIDs (Motrin/Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol) or naproxen to alleviate pain and swelling.

*Wear special shoes, or orthotic inserts that correctly support your arches.
5% of people suffering from this will end up with surgical intervention. The other 95% find their relief through orthotics, shoes, and exercise! At Summit Pedorthics, we can help you help your plantar fascia, and get you the proper foot support you need!