Nothing can ruin your day than your feet killing you, and there might be a hundred reasons for the pain you are feeling. However, if what you have is a stabbing feeling when you get out of bed and take your first step, you might be dealing with plantar fasciitis.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Your feet are made up of bones, tendons, and bands of connective tissues. The band that can be found running across your sole is known as the plantar fascia. It is responsible for connecting your toe to your help. It acts as an absorber that allows you to walk while keeping the weight of the whole body distributed. When this connective tissue gets inflamed, this is now what is known as plantar fasciitis.
Common Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
Because they carry the weight of the whole body, the plantar fascia is more prone to inflammation in pregnant women. At the same time, runners and people who work standing up and put significant pressure on their foot now and then are more prone to plantar fasciitis. What happens to the connective tissues is that it gets torn whenever weight is applied, which leads to the inflammation.
The risk of developing inflammation in the plantar fascia is higher among men and women between the ages of 40 and 70 compared to other age groups. Those who have either a flat foot or a high arch also tend to develop plantar fasciitis. It is because of the uneven distribution of the weight of the body.
Dealing with the Inflammation
Certain exercises can help alleviate the pain brought about by the inflammation. However, the best way to determine which heel pain treatment is the right one is to visit the doctor first. It can be quite easy to say that changing how you shift your weight is the only thing that you need to do, but this can lead to future hip or knee problems.
During your visit, your doctor might order an MRI or an X-ray to see the extent of the damage. At the same time, a physical exam of your foot will be done to determine if it is, indeed, a case of plantar fasciitis. Some things that they would look into would include your reflexes, muscle tone, balance, and coordination. Once they have determined the severity of your case, they might recommend a combination of physical therapy and night exercises to help promote stretching of the tissues and your Achilles tendon. If this does not resolve your condition, you might have to undergo other procedures such as surgery or the use of steroids to alleviate the pain. Your own blood might also be injected on the affected site to promote healing.
Keep in mind that once your fasciitis has been treated, it does not mean that you stop there. You should also ensure that you manage your weight and wear proper shoes. Doing these will help your soles in distributing the weight and keeping the connective tissues from tearing.
