What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the thick band of fibrous connective tissue known as the plantar fascia, which is a large ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes. If you have plantar fasciitis, you’ll experience pain in your heel and in the arch of your foot.
Pain generally occurs with your first steps getting out of bed in the morning, after periods of rest, when climbing stairs or standing on your toes, and with excessive standing, walking, or running. It can come and go with different activities. If it’s not treated, plantar fasciitis can become a chronic condition causing heel spurs and tears in the plantar fascia ligament.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis develops when the arch of the foot flattens out because the plantar fascia ligament becomes stretched out. When this happens, the foot loses its ability to act as a shock absorber.
Many things can contribute to the development of plantar fasciitis, such as:
- Wearing high heels
- Wearing shoes that lack good arch support and cushioning
- Tight calf muscles or tight Achilles heel tendons
- Excessive running, jumping, walking, or standing
- Engaging in activities on hard or irregular surfaces
- Turning the feet inward (pronation) when walking
- Carrying excess weight
- A sudden injury
- Medical conditions such as thyroid imbalances
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
Dr. Kraft offers multiple treatments to help ease the pain of plantar fasciitis. Stretching exercises are often prescribed and taught to patients to help relax tight calf muscles and Achilles heel tendons. She may also prescribe over-the-counter or custom-made orthotic shoe inserts to provide cushioning and proper arch support and to help improve the alignment of the foot’s position when walking. Dr. Kraft examines your feet and talks with you to determine the most appropriate type of shoes for your lifestyle and various activities. Using ice and oral anti-inflammatory medications can also help. The doctor may also administer a cortisone injection to further reduce inflammation and pain. Special splints may be prescribed to help stretch out the calf muscles while sleeping. Overweight patients may be advised to lose weight to help lessen the physical stress extra weight places on their feet. Long-term chronic plantar fasciosis is treated differently, including some regenerative medical approaches. Call Dr. Kraft’s office for an appointment if you’re concerned you have plantar fasciitis.
