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A patient came in for his heel pain. He noted that it would especially hurt as he took his first steps in the morning. He figured that his daily habit of prolonged morning laps had something to do with it. He went to a podiatrist to find answers. As of today, he’s back to his usual routine running laps and his mornings have never been better.
Heel pain is one of the most common foot complaints from our patients. There can be many causes of heel pain, for example, heel spur syndrome, a stress fracture or fractures due to injury, arthritis, tendinitis, and neuritis. Our job as podiatrists is to rule out other causes and diagnose the source of your heel pain. Most often, heel pain is caused by plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is ligament inflammation that extends from the heel to the toes (plantar fascia). The pain and nerve irritation is inside of the heel toward the toes. Typically, the pain is the worse when taking the first steps in the morning.
• Pain in the Arch
• Heel or Foot Pain
• Stiffness in Ankles or Feet
• Heel Swelling
• Tight Calf Muscles
The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is prolonged repetitive motion or strain on the arch of your foot or heel bone. Extended standing or walking on hard surfaces, or activities like running and jogging can cause plantar fasciitis.
If you are experiencing heel pain, your doctor will examine your foot for any sensitive areas. The location of the pain will define the cause.
Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are helpful in diagnosing plantar fasciitis and ruling out stress fractures, lower leg injuries, or arthritis.
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or when you stand up after sitting. Plantar fasciitis is more common in runners. People who are overweight and those who wear shoes with inadequate support also have an increased risk of plantar fasciitis.
Injections. Injecting steroid medication into the tender area can provide temporary pain relief. Multiple shots aren’t recommended because they can weaken your plantar fascia and possibly cause it to rupture.
Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) may ease the pain and inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis.
Stretching and strengthening exercises or using special devices may relieve symptoms. They include:
To reduce the pain of plantar fasciitis, try these self-care tips:
Treatment includes stretching exercises, icing, supportive shoe gear, arch supports, inserts, oral anti inflammatory medications, and corticosteroid injections in our office. If the pain does not improve, we might recommend rest and immobilization utilizing a corrective boot.
Additional treatment options for plantar fasciitis are custom orthotics if your shoes are causing discomfort, massage, and icing to decrease inflammation.
Regular physical therapy sessions will strengthen the tissue along the sole of your foot, loosen the plantar fascia, ease pain inflammation, and reestablish ankle stability.
Since plantar fasciitis usually manifests as acute inflammation, the best technique to treat your nerve irritation is to ice your foot.
Your doctor may recommend anti inflammatory medications if you don’t respond well to stretching and over-the-counter pain killers.
Resting for long periods will give you relief while reducing inflammation. To reduce foot pain, or if you have been diagnosed with flat feet or high arches, very flat feet or very high arches, orthotic devices are helpful.
Usually, conservative measures are enough to alleviate symptoms significantly. However, in some cases, non-surgical treatment is not enough and we would consider surgical options and determine the most beneficial option for the patient.
Cutting Edge Foot and Ankle Clinic in Nashville is a specialty clinic that fixes all kinds of foot and ankle problems.
If you are experiencing heel pain, call our office at 615-866-9639 to schedule a visit with our wonderful physicians Dr. Kidanu and Dr. Lanier.
