Plantar fasciitis causes pain at the bottom of the heel and is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. Plantar fasciitis is common in those who are middle aged or people who are on their feet a lot. Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the ligament that supports your arch. The plantar fascia ligaments experience a lot of wear and tear from daily life, therefore repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament.
There are many causes of plantar fasciitis: Wearing inappropriate shoes, walking or running for too long, pregnancy (short term), obesity, tight achilles tendons, or rolling the feet inward when walking can all lead to plantar fasciitis. You are also at risk if you have a very active job that involves being on your feet often. Plantar fasciitis is also slightly more common in women than men. The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain. The pain is usually most intense when waking from bed or after long periods of rest, when standing or walking for too long, or when climbing stairs.
The treatment for plantar fasciitis will depend on what works best for the patient.
Treatment may be as simple as rest and avoiding walking on hard surfaces. Many will benefit from anti-inflammatory medications, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, surgery (for severe cases), pain killers, ice, stretching exercises, or orthotics. Physical therapy is an important part of treatment of planter fasciitis. It can help stretch your plantar fascia and Achilles tendons. Night splints are another treatment that may help stretch your calf and arch of the foot. Night splints are a type of brace that holds your foot in a flexed position and lengthens the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon overnight.
Speaking with your health care professional is imperative for the proper diagnosis and treatment of plantar fasciitis.
Sources:
http://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/plantar-fasciitis-topic-overview
We offer ultrasound guided injections with cortisone, prolotherapy, PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections, autologous blood injections, medication, physiotherapy, acupuncture, active exercises, psychotherapy, biofeedback, and assistive devices such as TENS/MET devices, and orthotics for patients who suffer from plantar fasciitis and calcaneal spurs.