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If you have pain and stiffness in the bottom of your feet and heel, you may have a problem called Plantar Fasciitis.  

The tissue along the bottom of your feet is called the “plantar fascia”. It connects your heel bone to your toes, creating the arch of your foot. When you suffer from Plantar Fasciitis is due to irritation and swelling of this thick tissue on the bottom of your foot. Plantar fasciitis occurs when you overstretch or overuse this area and has been nicknamed “Policeman’s Foot” probably because cops were always “walking the beat” and on their feet for so many years, they ended up with foot pain issues. 

It can be extremely painful …  even make it hard to walk or perform weight-bearing activities. 

How do you know if you have plantar fasciitis?  

You will probably have pain and stiffness in the bottom of your foot or heel. The pain may be dull or sharp. The bottom of your foot may ache or burn. The pain is usually worse in the morning when you take your first steps, after standing or sitting for a while, when you climb stairs, or after you exercise. To treat this condition, a medical professional will check the bottom of your foot for tenderness to the touch, swelling, redness, and stiffness or tightness in your arch. The first recommendation may be that you try ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to reduce your pain and swelling. You can also try heel stretching exercises, resting as much as possible for at least a week, and wearing shoes with good support. You can also try applying ice to the painful area at least twice a day, ten to 15 minutes each time. You might try wearing a heel cup, felt pads in your heel area, or shoe inserts. Wearing splints at night can stretch the injured fascia and allow it to heal. This can be particularly helpful.  

If these treatments don't work, your doctor may recommend you wear a boot cast for three to six weeks or wear custom-made shoe inserts called orthotics, or even steroid shots in your heel. In severe cases, the recommendation of surgery is to release the tight tissue in your foot.  

The bad news… and the better news about treatment: 

Unfortunately, Standard treatment response can be very slow and may last from several months to several years before the symptoms get better. On average, with the generic treatment offered for most foot pain sufferers will take an average of up to 9 months to feel better.  That’s a long stretch-no pun intended-to walk around in misery every day. 

What leads to Planter Fasciitis? 

  • Staying overweight
  • Sitting or standing for long periods.
  • Wearing inappropriate shoe
  • Pushing through pain and discomfort.
  • Neglecting the need to stretch and strengthen
  • Excessive athletic or sports activity
  • Chronic work or hobby-related motions 

Less commonly, plantar fasciitis may develop due to other medical conditions, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. 

The pain of plantar fasciitis usually increases gradually and is typically felt near the heel. Sometimes the pain can be sudden, occurring after missing a step or jumping from a height. The pain tends to be the worst when you get up in the morning or after other periods of inactivity. That’s why it is known as first-step pain. The degree of discomfort can sometimes lessen with activity during the day or after warming up but it can become worse after prolonged or vigorous activity. The pain may also appear more intense in bare feet or in shoes with minimal support. 

Tension or stress in the plantar fascia increases when you place weight on the foot, such as withstanding. The tension also increases when you push off on the ball of the foot and toes. Both of these motions occur during normal walking or running. With overuse or in time, the fascia loses some of its elasticity or resilience and can become irritated with routine daily activities. 

Some other possible causes include: 

  • Nerve compression in the foot or in the back 
  • Stress fracture of the calcaneus 
  • Loss of the fatty tissue pad under the heel 

Plantar fasciitis can be distinguished from these and other conditions based on medical history and examination by a physician.  
 
Heel spurs are often wrongly thought to be the sole cause of heel pain. Although they are common, they are nothing more than the bone's response to traction or pulling forces from the plantar fascia and other foot muscles. Heel spurs often don’t cause any pain. A truly enlarged and problematic spur requiring surgery while generally not uncommon is usually related to PF. 

 

How is plantar fasciitis treated?                                                                                

  • Stretching and Physical Therapy.. ...  
  • Icing and Medication. ... Rest, Activity Modification and Orthotics. ...                                              
  • Steroid Injections 
  • Use of a “Walking Boot{ 
  • Gastrocnemius Recession (Surgery) 

 

What to do for chronic, slower healing or non-responsive cases? 

In general, the longer the symptoms have been present and the more severe the pain, the longer the treatment may take. Additionally, high-demand athletes, such as cross-country or marathon runners, may require a longer courses or specialized treatment. 

BUT  NOW – THE GOOD NEWS:  NYC Pain MDs Advancement in Acoustic Wave Technology And Treatment  To The Rescue 

NYC Pain MD's medical staff stays on the cutting edge of pain treatment methods.    

For these difficult Soft Tissue cases like Plantar Fascitis, they have introduced the latest in Acoustic Wave SoftWave Tissue Regenerative Therapy 

Applying super high-speed speed safe, controlled acoustic waves, these mechanical waves go deeper than any form of available therapy, and here is what happens: 

  • Deep layers of inflammation reduced 
  • Tight layer of scar tissue is relaxed 
  • Blood Flow increased bringing nutrients 
  • Pain Relieved 
  • Triggers release of resident stem cells and growth factor for long-term healing and longer-term relief 

… Just a handful of painless SoftWave Treatments usually get the most difficult and chronic cases of PF moving and feeling better. 

To Find out More: 

Call 877.292.9252 and find out about  NYC Pain MD and ask about the No-Cost Plantar Fascitis Assessment and Softwave Discovery Program and find out if you are a candidate. 

 

NYC Pain MD
✆ Phone (appointments): 607-536-4843

Address: 65 Broadway, Suite 1004, New York, NY 10006


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