Plantar Fasciitis

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

For many people, those first steps in the morning are painful. This could be due to a condition called plantar fasciitis. It is one of the most common causes of pain in the heels. 

Plantar fasciitis occurs when inflammation develops along the thick band of tissue that is on the bottom of your foot. This tissue runs from the heel bone to the toes and is called the plantar fascia. This band of tissue plays a big role in the movement of your foot and with each step you take. 

There are various reasons this type of pain can occur. Most of the time, the plantar fascia works as a type of shock absorber so that when you walk, the impact of that movement is not felt throughout your whole body. However, this band of tissues can suffer from damage, including inflammation that can cause small tears and stretching it.

How to Treat Plantar Fasciitis

The good news is that most people will be able to see significant improvement in their condition with treatment. The first step is to come into our office and have our doctor examine your heel pain. It is best to have a licensed podiatrist examine your foot or heel pain to ensure you have access to the most innovative and effective treatments for foot ailments.

Several types of treatment may be available to you. Treatment options include:

• Rest and stretching: Sometimes, the best initial treatment is to rest the foot and allow the tissue to heal from the damage it has. In some situations, you’ll also get physical therapy that will allow for the stretching of the plantar fascia as well as the Achilles tendon. This helps to build up more muscle in your leg which can minimize the amount of force on the plantar fascia. This is often a necessary step for any athlete that is experiencing pain at the bottom of the foot.
• Custom orthotics: Often, orthotics work very well as a treatment for plantar fasciitis. They are designed for the specific shape and function of your foot, ensuring proper support with each step you take. Orthotics may help to improve the way pressure is felt when you walk, helping to reduce the amount of pressure on your feet and especially the plantar fascia.
• MLS laser therapy: Laser therapy could be the right decision for many people who have more advanced conditions that are not improving as desired through other methods. This is a low-level laser therapy that does not cause pain to you. Rather, it is a non-invasive laser treatment designed to reduce heel pain and inflammation in the impacted here.

Your first step is always to seek out a proper diagnosis so treatment options can be assessed based on your unique needs. For many people, a combination of therapies will be the most effective. By combining rest with laser therapy, and then custom orthotics for when you are walking around, you set yourself up for the best and fastest possible recovery available today!