Plantar Fasciitis: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Creator: Dr. Mohamed Ghanem
Published: 2025-01-29 08:06:40

Updated On:January 29, 2025

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

One of the most typical reasons of heel discomfort is plantar fasciitis. Plantar Fasciitis involves swelling of the thick tissue band from the heel bone to the toes on the bottom of each foot. With your first steps in the morning, plantar fasciitis frequently generates stabbing agony. The discomfort usually subsides as you rise and move around, but it could come back if you stand for a long time or get up after sitting. Plantar fasciitis' underlying etiology is unclear. Overweight individuals and runners are more likely to experience it.

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can be brought on by anything that irritates or harms your plantar fascia, such as:

Standing all day at work
Engaging in sports
Working out or exercising on a hard surface
Exercising without warming up or stretching
Wearing shoes that does not adequately support your feet
Standing barefoot

Plantar fasciitis can also be brought on by a number of health issues, including:

High Arch Feet
Flat Foot
Obesity

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

Usually, plantar fasciitis causes a stabbing pain near the heel on the bottom of your foot. The discomfort is typically at its worst when you take your first few steps after waking up, but it can also be brought on by prolonged standing.

The following list of signs and symptoms of plantar fasciitis:

Foot ache
Pain in the arch of the foot
Stiffness in the foot
Swelling up around the heel
Tightness in the Achilles tendon

When to see a doctor for Plantar Fasciitis?

Consult a medical professional if you experience foot or heel pain that doesn't go away on its own after a week or if your symptoms do not get any better despite receiving treatment for your plantar fasciitis.

Plantar Fasciitis Risk Factors

The muscles and arch of your foot are supported by your fascia. Little tears may form on its surface when it is unduly stretched, resulting in pain and inflammation

Plantar fasciitis is more likely to affect you if you

are female between the ages of 40 and 60,
are overweight,
have high arches or flat feet,
have tight achilles tendons,
frequently wear high heels,
spend a lot of time standing up,
and wear footwear with thin soles.

Plantar Fasciitis Complications

Chronic heel discomfort brought on by untreated plantar fasciitis can make it difficult to perform daily activities. You might alter your gait to try to prevent plantar fasciitis pain, which can cause issues with your feet, knees, hips, and back.

Plantar Fasciitis Diagnosis

Plantar fasciitis will be identified by a medical professional after a physical examination of your foot. Your plantar fascia may be lightly pressed to assess for inflammation and gauge your level of pain. Make sure to inform your doctor about the pain you are feeling while going about your usual activities and about the area of your foot that hurts and the times of day that are the most uncomfortable.

Often, a doctor won't need to do any tests to diagnose plantar fasciitis. If they believe another problem or disease is the source of the discomfort, they may use imaging tests to capture photographs of your foot. You could need certain imaging tests, such as X-rays, ultrasounds, and/or MRIs.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

Your doctor will advise you on ways to treat your symptoms and support your feet to lessen the likelihood that you'll get plantar fasciitis again in the future.

The following are the most typical remedies for plantar fasciitis:

Over-the-counter medication: NSAIDs, which include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, lessen pain and inflammation. However, never take NSAIDs for more than 10 days straight without consulting a doctor.
Rest: For at least a week, refrain from engaging in sports or other activities that contributed to the plantar fasciitis.
Ice your foot: Ice your foot twice daily for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll a thin towel over the bottom of your foot and wrap it around a frozen water bottle to protect your skin.
Use supporting footwear: Put on a pair of well-padded, durable shoes. Avoid wearing flip-flops, sandals, and other flat shoes without an integrated arch support. Don't go about in bare feet.
Orthotics or shoe inserts: You can put more arch support in your shoes by adding inserts. A healthcare professional may advise pre-made inserts that you can purchase over-the-counter or specially-made orthotics that are molded to your foot's specific form.
Stretching and massaging: Your medical professional or a physical therapist will demonstrate stretches and massage methods you can use on your calf and foot muscles.
Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids are painkillers that reduce inflammation. A corticosteroid (may be injected by your doctor into your plantar fascia.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): Injuries are typically treated and repaired using injections of PRP.
Extracorporeal pulse activation technology (EPAT): Shockwave therapy in a non-invasive form. To enhance blood flow to your plantar fascia, your healthcare professional will use focused acoustic waves.
Percutaneous needle tenotomy: Your doctor will insert a needle into your plantar fascia via your skin during this procedure. The area receives more blood than typical from your body, stimulating your plantar fasciitis’ ability to heal.

Plantar Fasciitis Prevention

The easiest approach to avoid developing plantar fasciitis is to follow the precautionary measures listed below:

Stretch both before and after working out.
After vigorous exercise or activity, give your feet some time to relax and heal.
Put on supportive footwear.
Avoid barefoot travel on hard surfaces.
Replace your sneakers if they have been worn out.

Keep in mind though that you might not be able to avoid plantar fasciitis if you have a medical condition that increases your risk of plantar fasciitis.

References

Buchbinder, R. (2004). Plantar fasciitis. New England Journal of Medicine, 350(21), 2159-2166.

Cutts, S., Obi, N., Pasapula, C., & Chan, W. (2012). Plantar fasciitis. The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 94(8), 539-542.

DeMaio, M., Paine, R., Mangine, R. E., & Drez, D. (1993). Plantar fasciitis. Orthopedics, 16(10), 1153-1163.

Wearing, S. C., Smeathers, J. E., Urry, S. R., Hennig, E. M., & Hills, A. P. (2006). The pathomechanics of plantar fasciitis. Sports medicine, 36, 585-611.