Heel Pain And Plantar Fasciitis: What You Need to Know Long Island!

02 Jun Heel Pain And Plantar Fasciitis: What You Need to Know Long Island!

You might not have ever heard of plantar fasciitis, but if you are like anyone else, chances are that at some point in your life you have experienced heel pain. And there is a good probability that the culprit behind it was one of the most common causes of heel pain: plantar fasciitis. If you are currently suffering from some irritating and uncomfortable heel pain and don’t know what’s causing it, read below to learn more about plantar fasciitis, the condition that could be causing your pain.

Plantar Fasciitis

The first thing you’ll want to know is what plantar fasciitis is. Plantar fasciitis is a condition that affects the plantar fascia which is the ligament that joins your toes to your heel bone. When the plantar fascia becomes strained, the foot often swells, suffers from inflammation, and becomes weaker and this is what is known as plantar fasciitis. You will find that it becomes difficult to walk or stand on your foot without experiencing pain in the arch and heel.

Who is Affected by Plantar Fasciitis

Because plantar fasciitis is so common, it can affect anyone from the agile athlete to the middle-age man or woman. It should be noted that plantar fasciitis can affect both feet at the same time. So it’s safe to say that if you are experiencing mysterious heel pain in both of your feet, it could very well be plantar fasciitis.

How Plantar Fasciitis is Caused

There are lots of things that can cause plantar fasciitis. As stated above, when the ligament connecting the toes to the heel bone becomes strained, it results in inflammation and difficulty walking on the foot. So what exactly caused this ligament supporting the arch in your foot to become strained? There are several possibilities. People who are overweight are more at risk for developing a strain in their ligament because they have to support extra weight on their feet. Also, people with poor, worn out footwear or shoes that are too tight often suffer from plantar fasciitis. As for athletes, particularly runners who spend a lot of their time walking, standing, or running on hard surfaces for hours at time, it’s quite common to develop plantar fasciitis. Lastly, anyone with tight calf muscles or a tight Achilles tendon could find that they are suffering from this common condition (that is why regularly stretching before and after physical activity is so important).

How Plantar Fasciitis is Treated

Once you have visited a podiatrist to get a diagnosis, plantar fasciitis won’t necessarily be treated in one specific way. It depends on the person and the severity of the condition. Your doctor will probably tell you to employ several tactics to treat your plantar fasciitis. Such tactics could include investing in a new pair of shoes that offer better support, resting your foot for a time and avoiding walking and running on hard surfaces, and doing certain exercises like toe, calf, and towel stretches. Though quite uncomfortable and mildly painful, you probably won’t need strong pain medication for your condition other than some over-the-counter Advil or something else your podiatrist recommends. With time and the proper treatment, you will find that your plantar fasciitis will no longer affect you.

Looking for more information regarding plantar fasciitis? Or do you have questions related to any other foot condition? Don’t hesitate to contact us today. Our team of expert podiatrists is more than happy to assist you with your foot care needs whether you need a fungal toenail infection treated, wound care services, or treatment for a bunion. We look forward to hearing from you!