Plantar fasciitis
Found most often in women and in
people who are overweight, one of
the most common causes of pain in
the bottom of the heel is
plantar fasciitis.
An inflammation of the plantar
fascia is called plantar fasciitis
(plantar fasciitis). A thick fibrous
band running along the bottom of the
foot which attaches to the heel and
to the ball of the foot is defined
as the plantar fascia.
Inflammation can occur anywhere
along the plantar fascia, but it
most commonly occurs in the heel, at
the point where the fibrous band
attaches to the heel. It is the
inflammation of this fibrous band
that causes the pain of plantar
fasciitis. Once you have experienced
this pain in the foot, it is one
thing that you simply will never
forget.
The pain of plantar fasciitis is
most intense first thing in the
morning or even after a period of
rest. The first few steps after
resting can be quite painful but it
does tend to ease a bit after the
first few steps.
The pain of plantar fasciitis can
be described as sharp, stabbing, or
even burning. The pain can be quite
intense and can certainly impact
your quality of life. Although rest
can help to reduce the pain of
plantar fasciitis, this is often very
difficult to manage.
The pain of plantar fasciitis can
be recreated by flexing the toes
upward. This movement mimics the
same movement that creates tension
on the plantar fascia. Repetitive
stress on the plantar fascia can
cause this ligament to stretch
irregularly and ultimately develop
small tears. These small tears can
lead to inflammation which leads to
the pain of plantar fasciitis.
So what can you do about the pain
of plantar fasciitis?
Anti-inflammatory medications, rest,
ice, shoe orthotics, stretching
exercises and splinting at night can
all be very useful to help relieve
some of the pain.
