Plantar fasciitis is the most common issue of heel pain that a significant number of people face. Thick tissue in each foot connecting the heels to toes gets inflamed. This condition causes extreme pain especially when a person wakes up in the morning and keeps their feet on the floor. This is also experienced during the day when a person stands for prolonged time. The pain is generally seen in runners and those who are obese, though the actual cause is still unknown.
Symptoms:
The symptoms can be seen immediately after waking up from bed when the person faces extreme amount of pain or during the day after standing for prolonged hours. The pain in such a condition is extreme and feels very deep within foot. At times too much strenuous exercise or excessive running that creates pressure on the feet causes this condition to occur.
Causes:
Plantar fascia is a band of tissue (fascia) which connects the heel bone to the base of the toes. The function of this tissue is to support the arch of the foot and absorb shocks which are produced while walking. When a person undergoes an extreme amount of strenuous work or exercise it leads to stress on the fascia leading to a tear or damage in the tissue. This is one condition, but the complete cause of this problem is still not clear.
However, extreme exercises may not always cause the problem of Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a neglected problem; generally, individuals do not visit the doctor until it’s too late. Repeatedly stretching and tearing of the facia can irritate or inflame it, although the cause remains unclear in many cases of plantar fasciitis. Ignoring plantar fasciitis can result in chronic heel pain that obstructs your daily routine. Consulting an orthopaedic specialist is the best option to heal and cure the pain at an early stage. It is one of the suggested ways that we should always
Most people don’t necessarily need to opt for surgery to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis. However, the treatment can take several months to 2 years to improve. In some cases, surgery may become an option that you might need to consider after consulting the doctor. It is always advisable to take the expert suggestion i.e., look for the best orthopaedic doctor and book an appointment. There are a lot of known orthopedic doctors in India, however Bangalore city has orthopaedic who specialize in treatment of plantar fascia. Here you can find a list of the best orthopedic doctors in Bangalore and based on your comfort you can also book your appointment online. Only if the doctor suggests a visit you would need to go, or else you can even submit the X-ray or CT scan documents online and email the same to the doctor before your appointment date.
Risk factors:
As we know, plantar fasciitis can develop without any particular reason, but some factors can trigger this condition to develop. They are:
- Age: Plantar fasciitis is common seen in people who are between the age group of 40 and 60.
- Certain types of exercise: Physical activities that put a lot of stress and pressure on your heel and attached tissues. Example: Sprint running or running for long distance, dancing ballet or aerobics even some simple dance forms can trigger this issue.
- Foot mechanics: Someone with a flat foot, a high arch or someone with a typical style of walking can affect the way the body weight is distributed on your feet when you’re standing, and this can put added stress and pressure on the plantar fascia.
- Obesity: Someone with some extra pounds (Fat Person) can put extra stress on your plantar fascia.
- Occupations that keep you on your feet: A factory worker, a teacher, or any other person who spends most of his time walking or standing on hard surfaces is at high risk of plantar fasciitis.
Complications:
One should not ignore the pain caused by plantar fasciitis as it can eventually result in chronic heel pain, which can hinder one’s daily activities. You’re likely to change the way you walk to avoid plantar fasciitis pain. Otherwise, this might lead to foot, knee, hip or even back problems.
How to treat or reduce the issue?
You can temporarily reduce the effect by icing and medication. Icing the sore spot several times in a day would reduce the amount of pain and inflammation. The doctor may also prescribe you medication in case you are suffering from extreme pain. At times changing to ortho shoes or shock-absorbing exercise can help with the problem. You can also use athletic tape that supports your ligaments and muscles. At times a shock wave is delivered at the pain area, which promotes healing. Depending on the condition, the waves can be of low energy or high energy.
