What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

What is plantar fasciitis? This is a condition where the bands of tissues connecting your heels and toes are affected. This normally occurs as a result of soreness to the bands of tissues within those areas. Usually, it attacks especially in the morning when getting out of bed. It is very painful with a stabbing like feeling pain that strikes the entire fascia of your foot. However, the pain does not last long when you continue with your daily activities, it gradually fades away. The decrease of pain with plantar fasciitis does not disappear permanently. Slowly it can resurface after one has been standing for long hours.

 Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis   

The most experienced pain with most people with this condition is the pain in the bottom part of the feet. The pain usually is felt at the front and center of the foot in the morning. Plantar fasciitis, alias the first step pain, can be even worse after one has participated in a workout or, at times, it can strike during the process. The most affected are a group of individuals, who are overweight, athletes, and people who wear unfitting shoes.

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis  

Normally plantar fasciitis can cause a shocking feeling. The feeling is felt right in the arch inside a foot. Known as the absorbing bowstring, it experiences much tension and stress in the process. As a result, the patient feels some kind of tears in the fascia. In the process where the stress and tear are recurrent, the situation becomes even worse. This is because it is always in excessive tearing where the inflammation of the fascia occurs. As a consequence, the plantar fasciitis condition occurs.

The Risk Factors for Plantar Fasciitis   

Anyone can be affected by this condition. It usually is a situation where the condition happens without an obvious cause. In this case anyone can be affected whatsoever. However, there are few factors that can make plantar fasciitis affect one or a group of individuals. Among them are the normal daily activities and features we undergo in our life. This includes;

 

  • Persons Age– plantar fasciitis is much of an old age condition. It affects mostly the older aged individuals as at ages 40 to 60 approximately.
  • Specific Life Workouts–  there are a certain type of exercise that put a lot of pressure on the heels. Activities such as ballistic jumping activities, long-distance running, and aerobics can also contribute to this.
  • Foot Mechanics – the different ways you put your foot determines the possibilities of acquiring the plantar fasciitis. This is because different postures contribute to different distributions of weight on your plantar fascia.
  • Overweight – a person with excess pounds has a higher chance of suffering the condition. This is as a result of the excess body weight that stresses the plantar fascia.

Diagnosis   

During diagnosis, it is an individual’s medical history that will determine the type of analysis to be applied. The check-up, however, includes checking the tender areas where the pain is exactly situated. This enables the physician to easily find out the possible cause.

  • Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis – The treatment methods would include resting, icing, and stretching. They have, with time, been the most successful method among many patients.
  • Therapies – the best therapy can include stretching and strengthening activities. These can be achieved in numerous ways such as physical therapy, night splints, and orthotics.

 

Plantar Fasciitis Surgical and Other Procedures  

Surgical services are another option to obtain relief from this ailment. In most cases, it is always recommended as last option. In this case of plantar fasciitis, surgical procedures can be implemented in case the conservative measurements fail. This can include processes such as injections, Tenex procedure, shock wave therapies and eventually surgery.