Plantar fasciitis is the medical term used to describe inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot between the heel and toes.

This inflammation can be very painful, lasting months and even up to two years, depending on the treatment received. Most people suffer pain in the soles of their feet after getting out of bed first thing in the morning whilst walking and doing everyday activities.

What Are The Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis?

Symptoms will depend on the severity of the condition, but most people complain of pain under the heel. There is also likely to be a feeling of tightness or a dull ache along the sole of your foot, particularly first thing in the morning after getting out of bed and placing your full weight on the foot.

The foot pain is also likely to worsen after long periods of sitting, standing or after exercising. This is due to an excessive strain placed on the tissue of the foot after prolonged use.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

While there is no one-size-fits-all reason for plantar fasciitis, some people can be more prone to its symptoms; it can be more likely to occur in people who:

• Walk in an unusual way, such as rolling the feet inwards or outwards, or with a limp
• Are overweight or obese, or have recently gained a lot of weight, such as during pregnancy
• Wear poorly designed or fitted footwear (for example, high heels or jandals)
• People who are on their feet for long periods of time, such as retail employees, beauticians, and hairdressers.
• Have flat feet known as pes planus.
• Stand, run or jump on hard surfaces for long periods of time, particularly if this is unusual behaviour.
• Have injured their feet in some way, such as a stress fracture to one of the metatarsal bones.

6 Tips To Help Treat Plantar Fasciitis At Home

Below are 6 classic tips to help ease the pain and resolve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis at home.

1. Ice It. While any icepack will do, freezing a plastic bottle full of water is a great at-home remedy. Place the frozen bottle on the floor and roll the foot backwards and forwards over it to ease the inflammation. This is especially good in the evening.
2. Stretch And Strengthen. Stretching out your calf muscles, foot muscles, and buttock muscles can be useful in correction and prevention, along with stretching the Achilles Tendon and other leg muscles daily.
3. Massage It. Using a tennis ball, or roll the ball under the sole of your foot, releasing the tension in the foot’s plantar fascia.
4. Warm It Up. Before commencing strenuous exercise, stretching the foot can assist in releasing the plantar fascia.
5. Choose Sensible Footwear. Wearing comfortable, supportive footwear is a must when suffering from plantar fasciitis; this means no bare feet and no high heels!
6. Modify. Ask yourself a few questions to isolate why this condition has arisen now and see if you can modify your behaviour. For example; Why does only the right foot hurt? What have I done differently lately? Am I standing/walking for excessive periods? Am I wearing flip flops in the summertime?

Treating The Underlying Cause Of Plantar Fasciitis

While all of the above at-home remedies are useful in temporarily managing your plantar fasciitis, correcting the root cause of the plantar fasciitis is the most important part of your recovery.

There are several options available to you when seeking professional treatment for plantar fasciitis; these can be used individually or in conjunction with each other.

• Osteopathic Treatment. Osteopaths are trained in addressing the underlying cause of the inflammation. They will consider the big picture and look at physical factors, including restricted ankle movement, tight calf muscles and a mal-aligned spine, and lifestyle factors such as weight gain, repetitive overuse, or inappropriate footwear.
• Podiatry. As health professionals who specialise in treating the feet, podiatrists can be a great addition to your treatment plan. A Podiatrist can prescribe orthotics or arch supports that may be required if you cannot modify the behaviour that is aggravating the plantar fasciitis.
• General Medical. Your GP or doctor is a good port of call if the pain has reached levels where it may be impacting your regular daily activities. Doctors can prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which can help reduce inflammation and pain levels, temporarily aiding in healing.
• Other / Surgery. Steroidal injections can be used at times. Shockwave therapy may be a useful adjunct to osteopathic treatment.  Surgery is rarely required.

Need help with heel or foot pain?

See your local Osteopaths at Better Health Osteopathy and get back to your everyday life sooner!

Contact Lorraine Herity at Better Health Osteopathy in Christchurch today. Call 027 755 5700 or book online.