Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a foot condition that occurs when a band of connective tissue on the bottom of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed. 

The connective tissue, called the plantar fascia, runs from your heel to the ball of your foot. It supports the arch of the foot and helps absorb the shock whenever it hits the ground.

Plantar fasciitis develops when stress causes small tears and inflammation in the plantar fascia. Without treatment, the small tears get progressively worse.

This type of injury occurs due to:

• Flat feet
• High arches
• Repetitive movements
• Tight calf muscle
• Tight Achilles tendon
• High impact activities (running and dancing)
• Lack of arch support in your shoes
• Overpronation (rolling your foot inward)

Prolonged standing or walking on hard surfaces, sudden weight gain, and obesity can also cause plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis primarily causes heel pain. The pain feels worse when you take your first steps in the morning. 

In most cases, morning pain improves as you walk or stretch because the movement relaxes the plantar fascia. Your heel pain may also flare up during the day if you spend extended time on your feet.

Your Innovation Medical Group provider first reviews your medical history, learns about your symptoms, and examines your foot. 

Since plantar fasciitis usually occurs due to a structural problem in your foot, such as flat feet, and often occurs together with a bone spur, they may take X-rays, bone scans, or an MRI to examine your foot thoroughly.

The first line of treatment for plantar fasciitis includes resting the foot and avoiding activities that stress the plantar fascia. In some cases, your provider may immobilize the foot with a removable walking cast to give the tissues time to heal.

Your symptoms also improve with treatments such as:

• Icing the area
• Gentle stretching
• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Steroid injections
• Night splints
• Custom orthotics
• Shoe inserts

Your provider may refer you to physical therapy to help with stretching and strengthening exercises.

Innovation Medical Group seldom needs to perform surgery for plantar fasciitis, but they may recommend plantar fascia release surgery if nonsurgical treatments fail.