Health and Fitness

Dealing With Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a issue in the foot which affects the tendon that extends from your heel to the ball of the foot. This is one of the more prevalent causes of discomfort in the heel and foot which creates a sharp pain you can feel with your initial steps out of bed in the morning. As soon as your foot warms up the discomfort will usually get better. However, soon after standing on the feet for very long durations, or sitting for lengthy periods and then standing up again, the discomfort comes back. The discomfort originates from the plantar fascia, or extended thin ligament which is situated immediately beneath the skin of your foot and attaches the heel to your ball of the foot. The function is to secure the arch of the feet.

Probably the most frequent reasons for the pain is foot arch problems. People with flat feet or who have very arched feet might both suffer an elevated potential for this problem as the plantar fascia is excessively stretched or tight to offer the shock absorption to the feet. Overpronation when running and walking might also make the foot to flatten unusually in the course of physical activity. Biomechanical disorders of the foot could also result in overpronation and stretching out of the plantar fascia. These problems include ankle joint tightness (restricted ankle motion), forefoot varus, leg length differences and tibia vara (bit of a bow legs). Long-distance runners or people that suddenly modify the quantity of mileage they may be running – like runners, soccer players, basketball athletes or weekend warriors – are at threat for plantar fasciitis as a result of sudden alteration of mileage or intensity. Shoes that will not provide the appropriate arch support to the feet – particularly for individuals who have collapsed arches – will raise the risk of developing the problem. Abrupt weight gain as with pregnancy, or people who are obese or overweight may also have an increased risk of plantar fasciitis.

In the course of diagnosis and while suggesting treatment your physician can decide that your calf muscles are tight. This specific tight tendon may also place undue force on the plantar fascia and increase the potential risk of development as well as slow the recovery from plantar fasciitis. A tight calf muscle or Achilles tendon can provide an environment in which there's higher rate pronation that produces a repetitive overstretching of the plantar fascia. The pain from the disorder usually develops slowly with time instead of abruptly. Your health care professional may also want to take x-rays or bone scan of your feet to make sure that the bone had not fractured, so you were also being affected by a stress fracture of the rearfoot.