Dr George Hatoum
One of the most painful problems in the foot is heel pain. The term Plantar fasciitis describes a condition in which the plantar fascia, a ligament-like band that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot, becomes damaged, inflamed, and painful. This is also referred to as “heel spurs”.
Plantar fasciitis often leads to tenderness on the inside portion of the heel where the heel and arch meet.
Symptoms
Plantar fasciitis is often described as a tenderness of the heel where the heel and arch meet.
This tenderness is usually worse first thing in the morning when you first place your heel on the ground and can cause an achy and sometimes sharp pain. You can also experience pain when you get up after periods of rest.
Treatment
A podiatrist will conduct a biomechanical assessment of your foot and biomechanics and identify the cause of the plantar fascial pain. As plantar fasciitis is predominantly caused by overpronation and strain in the muscle, a treatment plan to control this excessive motion will be implemented to reduce the strain on the plantar fascia. If left untreated, plantar fasciitis can become chronic and debilitating that may eventually require surgery.
Early podiatric treatment might involve strengthening exercise and footwear recommendations, strapping, taping, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Orthotics are commonly used to treat Planter Fasciitis, Orthotics are supports that brace the arch of the foot, this limits the stretching and strain of the plantar fascia allowing it to heal.
