What is Plantar Fasciitis
If you feel a stabbing pain in the bottom of your heel, it may be because of Plantar Fasciitis.
Fasciitis means “inflammation of a fascia”, in this case, your plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a thick and web-like ligament that connects your heel to the front of your feet. This ligament is also responsible for helping you walk by supporting the arch of your foot.
The plantar fascia also serves as your foot’s shock absorber that’s why it’s prone to wear and tear normally caused by your daily activities. But too much pressure on your feet can cause inflammation of this ligament—which ultimately causes you to feel the stabbing pain.
The doctors from Watsonia Podiatry gave us more insights regarding the other whats, whys and hows of this condition. Make sure to read on so you’ll know what to do if you continue to feel this kind of discomfort in the bottom of your feet.
What Are The Symptoms
Most people that suffer from Plantar Fasciitis complain that the pain is felt at the bottom of the heel, particularly in the midfoot area. This discomfort is often felt just in one foot, but it doesn’t mean that Plantar Fasciitis can’t affect both feet.
Your first steps in the morning after getting out of bed are usually the worst! You may also find taking the stairs uncomfortably difficult because of heel stiffness.
While the pain from Plantar Fasciitis may start to ease a little bit after 15 minutes to 30 minutes after feeling it, it may still come and go throughout the day. Especially when you engage in a prolonged activity.
These kinds of activities may cause your plantar fascia to swell up even more, therefore causing more pain and discomfort. You may not experience the extreme pain during the activity itself, but rather after stopping for a rest. So you might want to watch out for that.
Why Do This Happen
The main culprits of Plantar Fasciitis are age, obesity, pregnancy, foot structure, the activities you engage in, and sometimes the kind of shoes you wear.
Active men and women who are in their 40s to 70s are at a higher risk of developing Plantar Fasciitis. But between the two sexes, women are more prone to bouts of this kind of heel pain.
And that’s because pregnancy is also one of the reasons why women suffer from Plantar Fasciitis. The weight gained during pregnancy, especially during the later stages, gives too much pressure to the feet that support the whole body.
In relation to that, people who are obese also have greater tendencies for developing Plantar Fasciitis. The increased weight being put on your foot ligaments are often too much to handle. That’s why if you gained a lot of weight and started suffering from heel pains, you might want to start trimming down your size.
Flat-footed individuals are also at greater risk. Since they have low arches or flat feet, the strain to the plantar fascia is also greater.
Lastly, you might want to replace the old shoes that you use daily. Because your shoes that have poor arch support and very soft soles cannot absorb that much force which causes your plantar fascia to bear added pressure. To lessen the risk of getting Plantar Fasciitis, it’s time to buy yourself a new pair.
How Do You Treat Plantar Fasciitis
Home treatments like rest, ice bags, and using anti-inflammatory are often the go-to remedies for people experiencing heel pains. However, if the pain doesn’t stop, it’s better to go to the doctor immediately. Medical professionals can help you properly diagnose the situation you are in and help you in the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis.
It’s also better for you that your condition is assessed right off the bat because early recognition can increase the probability of treating the pain successfully.
There are also some things that you can do on your own, to lessen the occurrence of the pain if not prevent it totally. For example, if you are overweight, maybe start managing your diet and sweat it out at the gym. Or if you’re still wearing those old shoes from 2 years ago, go buy a new one. Not just a new pair, but the one that is comfortable to wear and has good sole support.
You might also want to watch out for your daily activities, too, that might cause your heels to ache. If your work requires a lot of standing and walking, don’t forget to sit and rest. Sometimes a 10-15 of break can be helpful for managing the stress that your foot ligaments bear.
But these are just measures to somehow lessen the pain. Nothing beats a professional take on your condition. Because as cliché as it may be, they still know best.
When seeing a doctor, be sure to answer all the questions as accurately and detailed as you can. So take note of the time you started feeling the pain, how painful it was, the things that you did to ease the discomfort, and the types of activities that you do on a daily basis.
Don’t skip the little details because often, these are paramount to the diagnosis of your condition. For early diagnosis and treatment, you can pay the doctors at Watsonia Podiatry a visit.