What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The Plantar Fasciitis is the intense pain and inflammation in the heel that occurs when the plantar fascia develops small tears from being overstrained. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of connective tissue that provides the main support for the bones, muscles, and tendons in the arch of your foot. It attaches to your heel bone and runs along the bottom of your foot just deep to your skin and attaches to the bases of your toes at the ball of your foot.
Common Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is so common that it is hard to determine the exact cause creating the strain from person to person but the more common causes are the result of poor foot structures- too high or to low of an arch, overuse- such as running or repetitive high impact activities or even duties that require people to walk or stand for excessive periods of time and certainly exacerbated if this time is spent on hard surfaces, and overweight or being required to lift or carry weight can be problematic as well.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Pain and soreness in the plantar fascia, most commonly in the heel because that is where your body bears most of its weight when standing or walking. Also, there is one main attachment of your plantar fascia at the heel bone versus it being distributed over five points at the base of the toes. These symptoms are most commonly experienced upon the first few steps of ambulation after rest.
How can I treat plantar fasciitis at home?
Reduce Plantar Fascia tension with arch supports (preferably customized to your relief, like the Arch Cloud)
Anti-inflammatories: Icing, Medications (Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aspirin)
Massaging: this will stimulate circulation and displace the inflammation
Stretching: lengthen the plantar fascia
Why is a proper arch support so important for treatment? The correct arch support will reduce the tension and workload on the Plantar Fascia, thus, allowing it to heal, thereby, treating the underlying cause. The other treatments mentioned provide relief by reducing the symptoms.
The key is to get the right amount of support in order to properly reduce the tension and workload
of the foot and plantar fascia. If you do not have adequate support, you still have too much strain on the plantar fascia and can not heal. If you have too much support, it will be uncomfortable and difficult to tolerate.
About the author: The inventor of the Arch Cloud, Brian Rozanski DPM, ABFAS, is a board certified podiatrist and surgeon with extensive training and experience in all aspects of foot and ankle pathology.