Plantar fasciitis, one of the most common reasons for heel pain, can sometimes make walking an exercise in torture. But with the right approach, you can heal damaged tissue and put heel pain behind you fast. At Optima Foot and Ankle in Bend, Oregon, and Redmond, Oregon, skilled podiatrists Laura Schweger, DPM, and Evan M. Ross, DPM, offer effective solutions for plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and other causes of foot pain. Use the online booking tool or call the office to make your appointment today.
contact usWhat is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is an injury affecting the connective tissues spanning the plantar fascia, the band of tissue on the bottom of your foot between your heel and toes. The plantar fascia can develop multiple small tears due to stress or pressure, which leads to heel pain and other symptoms of plantar fasciitis.
What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?
The primary symptom of plantar fasciitis is heel pain, which many sufferers characterize as a stabbing pain. Plantar fasciitis pain is often most severe when you first wake up and get out of bed, but it can also be particularly bad after any long period of rest. Some plantar fasciitis sufferers also experience burning in their heel.
Some men and women who think they have plantar fasciitis actually have a different problem, a heel spur. Heel spurs are small bony growths on the bottom of the heel. They can sometimes cause pain similar to that of plantar fasciitis and might occur at the same time as plantar fasciitis.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is caused by stress, strain, or pressure on the plantar fascia. If you regularly engage in any activity that puts repeated pressure on your feet, you’re at risk of developing plantar fasciitis.
It’s a common problem among runners and other athletes, but you don’t necessarily have to be physically active to develop plantar fasciitis. Obesity can also strain the plantar fascia to trigger plantar fasciitis, as can regularly wearing high heels or shoes with no arch support.
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
Optima Foot and Ankle offers a range of plantar fasciitis solutions. Your treatment may include:
- Rest: Exercise on a damaged plantar fascia could worsen your condition
- Pain relief: Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as over-the-counter Motrin®
- Orthotics: Custom-made shoe inserts to relieve plantar fascia strain
- Stretches: Prescribed stretching exercises to lengthen and strengthen the plantar fascia
- Injections: PRP injections to relieve inflammation and pain
The same treatments are often very effective for heel spur pain, too. In the vast majority of cases, surgery isn’t necessary.
The team at Optima Foot and Ankle can help with plantar fasciitis, bone spurs, and all the other causes of foot and ankle pain. Use the online booking tool or call Optima Foot and Ankle to schedule an appointment today.