Family Physician: A Friend to Depend On

Posted on: 10 January 2018

If you have been experiencing pain in the heel of your foot for some time, you may receive a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis from your doctor. Plantar fasciitis is a condition where the thick band of tissue connecting your heel to your toe becomes too stretched, weakens, and ends up with tiny tears. Plantar fasciitis can be painful and seriously affect your quality of life, since basic tasks like walking can make it worse. Luckily, there are effective treatment options available to try which are fairly simple and straightforward:

Reduce Inflammation

Doing what you can to reduce inflammation in your heel will allow your plantar fasciitis to begin healing on its own. Reducing inflammation can also help alleviate pain and discomfort. In most cases, a combination of steps to reduce inflammation will be needed. Options include taking anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen, resting, elevating, and icing your heel several times a day, and soaking your feet in an ice bath each evening. Topical anti-inflammatory ointments that are rubbed into your heel may also help. 

Do Stretching and Strengthening Exercises

Your doctor will also recommend stretching and strengthening exercises to both facilitate healing and strengthen the overall area to avoid future overstretching and weakening of your heel and connected tendons. In severe cases, your doctor may even refer you to a physical therapist to put together a comprehensive stretching and strengthening program focused on your heel, toes, ankle, and calves. If your heel becomes more flexible and strong and so do the connecting tendons and muscles, you will heal more quickly and feel more comfortable in the meantime. 

Prevent Future Incidents

An important aspect of treating plantar fasciitis is preventing your current plantar fasciitis from getting worse while simultaneously preventing future incidents from occurring. You will most likely need to wear more sturdy footwear with proper support, avoiding flimsy shoes, flip-flops, or uncomfortable high heels. Being overweight can contribute to plantar fasciitis so your doctor may recommend a weight loss plan if applicable.

While healing from plantar fasciitis it will be important that you rest as much as possible, avoiding high impact exercise and replacing it with exercise that's more gentle for your feet, such as swimming or cycling.

The first step is having your doctor refer you to a foot care specialist. They will evaluate the severity of your plantar fasciitis as well as any complications you are experiencing and help determine the best course of treatment for your specific situation. 

Talk to a center like Foot & Ankle Care Center PA to learn more.