Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects the heel bone to your toes. This painful condition can inhibit your daily life and activities. Thankfully, plantar fasciitis treatment can usually be accomplished at home.

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

Before discussing plantar fasciitis treatment, you must first understand what causes this condition.  Plantar fasciitis occurs when small tears accrue in the tissue band from any of the following issues:

• Wearing shoes that are too hard
• Bad habits when running
• Flat feet
• High arch without proper support in shoes
• Being overweight
• Standing for long periods

While some cases of plantar faciitis are due to genetics, many can be prevented or treated with good home care.

Plantar Fasciitis Prevention

There are many things you can do to prevent plantar fasciitis including:

• Wear shoes with good support
• Replace tennis shoes often
• Avoid walking on hard surfaces barefoot
• Keep a healthy weight
• Low-impact exercise like swimming or walking
• Avoid high-impact exercise such as running
• Stretch your legs and feet

Whether you lead an active lifestyle or spend much of your time at home, these things can help prevent plantar fasciitis from developing.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

If you already have plantar fasciitis, there are non-invasive ways to treat it. These include:

• Rest
• Ice the bottom of the foot
• Stretching
• Physical therapy
• Orthotics
• Night braces

We always suggest you start with home care and other minimally invasive plantar faciitis treatments before seeking the help of a doctor.

When should you talk to a physician?

If the pain persists after several months you should schedule a visit with Dr. Brad Dresher, our foot and ankle orthopedic specialist in Colorado Springs. You may have underlying issues such as a bone spur rubbing on the tissue or a stress fracture. At that time our physician may request an x-ray or an MRI to better understand what is causing your pain. Surgery should be a last resort for plantar fasciitis treatment unless there is a secondary condition like a bone spur. The specialists at the foot and ankle clinic at Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group can assess your condition and make a plantar faciitis treatment plan that will work for you.