Plantar Fascitis

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel and usually defined by pain during the first steps of the morning. Pain also occurs at the start of activity and go away with use. It often returns after a long rest and then restarting activity.
Plantar Fasciitis is considered a chronic injury rather than an acute injury. It is common in runners performing repetitive plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the foot. It is also common with sudden weight gain and sudden increases in activity.
What Is the Plantar Fascia?
The plantar fascia is a long, thick and tough band of tissue that provides support for the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. The plantar fascia is stretched and the arch flattens slightly to absorb the impact each time the heel impacts the ground. This fascia is not very flexible and such repetitive stretching from impact can result in small tears in the fascia. See an image: plantar fascia.
Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms
Heel pain during the first steps of the morning is a classic sign of plantar fasciitis. This pain is the result of the foot resting in plantar flexion overnight. This allows the fascia to shorten. When the shortened fascia is stretched pain occurs. Pain continues due to the chronic inflammation of the torn fascia. Pain is also common at the start of exercise and when resuming activity after rest. A history of recent weight gain or a sudden change in exercise pattern also is a sign of plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs
About half of the patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur. When the plantar fascia becomes chronically inflamed, a heel spur can grow at the attachment point between the fascia and the calcaneous (heel bone). If heel pain is treated early, heel spurs can often be prevented.
Plantar Fasciitis Causes
Typical causes of plantar fasciitis include overstretching a tight plantar fascial band, consistent overuse and irritation that results in microtears to the fascia at its calcaneal (heel bone) attachment.
Predisposing factors may include:

  • Flat feet
  • High arches
  • Excessive pronation
  • Obesity or sudden weight gain.
  • Tight Achilles tendons. (See: Achilles tendon stretch.
  • Sudden increase in activity intensity, time or type. (See: The Ten Percent Rule for Increasing Activity)
  • Wearing high heels that shorten the calf muscles, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia.
  • A sudden change in running or walking surface.
  • Prolonged standing or weight bearing.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
The most commonly recommended conservative treatment includes the following:

  • Rest and Ice. It's important for those with plantar faciitis to avoid irritating activities, and allow the fascia to rest until pain subsides. Icing the area after use can also help reduce pain and swelling.
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories may be recommended by your doctor for 2-4 weeks to reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Massage Roller. Massaging the fascia by rolling foot over a 3-4 inch diameter tube such as a rolling pin or soup can has be an effective treatment.
  • Wearing a Night Splint. A night splint keeps the foot flexed and the plantar fascia lengthened overnight. For some people this improves recovery times.
  • Plantar Fasciitis First Aid Products. First aid products may help you recover faster and more comfortably.
  • Other Treatments. Your doctor may also recommend weight loss when appropriate, taping the heel and arch to also help reduce pain, or the use of medial longitudinal arch supports, to help reduce pain while the plantar fascia heals.

Plantar Fasciitis Stretching

A New Stretch Reduces Plantar Fasciitis Pain
A new stretching technique has proven effective at reducing the pain of plantar faciitis when performed several times a day. It is performed by crossing one leg over the other and pulling the toes toward the shin for a count of ten and repeating ten times. This is a change from the standard treatment that recommends the weight-bearing stretches.
Plantar Fasciitis Strengthening Exercises
The traditional strengthening exercises for plantar fasciitis include scrunching up a hand towel with the toes or pulling a towel weighted with a soup can across the floor. New research has found that eccentric exercises seem to improve the recovery times of both tendon and plantar fascia injuries.
After exercise, applying a cold pack to the heel at point of maximal tenderness for 15-20 minutes is helpful to relieve pain.
Any foot injury that does not respond to treatment in 1-2 weeks may be more serious. Always consult a physician for a thorough evaluation and diagnosis.

 

Preventing Plantar Fascitis

Sometimes preventing common sports injuries is beyond our control, but many times sports injuries are preventable. Some injuries, we bring on ourselves because we’re not conditioned for the activity. Work out daily and get double benefit — enjoy your weekend activities and garner the health benefits. Every workout should start with a gentle warm-up to prevent common sports injuries. Getting warmed up increases blood flow to the muscles, gets you more flexible, and could decrease injuries. Overuse injuries are common and preventable, Don’t come out and hit the ball for an hour after not playing for a while., Whether it’s hiking, running, or team sports, do some “pre-participation stretching” first by lightly working the relevant muscle groups before the activity. And learn to recognize when you’ve already left it all on the field. Stop when you are fatigued, Muscle fatigue takes away all your protective mechanisms and really increases your risk of all injuries.

 

Professional Sports Teams

Professional athletes often seek better, newer treatments outside the teams facility. We have treated players from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and the PGA. Of course we can't list the name of the players for security reasons but below is a list of the teams that they play for. And yes we have to treat the players from teams opposing our home town favorites, Sorry Guys. Go CARDS