Plantar fasciitis

Pain is usually felt on the underside of the heel and is often most intense with the first steps out of bed in the morning or after rest. In some cases mild swelling in the heel is present. Usually the pain  will subside after walking around for some time. Heel pain often worsens after long lasting activities like going for long walks, playing tennis or golf, as well as walking and standing on hard floors for long periods of time.

Plantar fasciitis is mainly caused by incorrect foot function, in particular over-pronation (rolling in of the ankle and flattening of the arch). Contributing factors are age, weight gain, jobs that require a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces, badly worn shoes with little support, and also inactivity.

The plantar fascia is the band of tissue that runs under the foot from the toes to the heel. When the foot pronates the plantar fascia is being over-stretched resulting in inflammation and pain at the point where the plantar fascia is attached to the heel bone.

Before seeking help from a specialist there’s a lot you can do yourself to alleviate the pain of Plantar Fasciitis.

• avoid any barefoot walking, especially after getting out of bed in the morning.
• rest, reduced activity: avoid long walks, sports and standing on hard surfaces for long periods.
• ice: apply an ice pack onto the heel for 5-10 minutes about 3 or 4 times a day. (see below)
• reduce the inflammation with ant-inflammatory medication and/or a gel or cream.
• exercises: do a number of specific exercises to increase flexibility in your feet and legs
• insoles: a range of insoles can really help with alleviating the symptoms (see below0
• stretch splints: consider stretch splints to treat the underlying issue (see below)
• socks: specific socks designed to support the arch can be very helpful (see below)