Waking Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed: Plantar Fasciitis

The beautiful fall weather is upon us.  This means colorful leaves, apple picking and cooler weather ideal for running. Runners are athletes that are prone to many different types of injuries due to the repetitive pounding of their foot against the ground throughout their stride. Some of the foot problems that occur can be a result of the individual’s foot type. One of these is known as plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that results from doing the same motion over and over pulling and stretching a band of tissue on the bottom of your foot connecting the heel to the toes and contributing to your arch. This has been known to happen in construction workers that are standing on a roof all day, soldiers spending the day marching in formation and athletes who are constantly stretching and relaxing this band. It is a condition that is very common in middle-aged people, but is all present in younger people that are on their feet a lot.

For patients that have a flat foot type, where there is a constant stretch on that band of tissue, it becomes irritated over time and causes a great deal of pain. People will notice that their heel will suddenly be really sore when they first get out of bed or after they have been sitting for a long time. This pain can range from just enough to be annoying to being severe enough to cause debilitation. The condition is a relatively straight-forward one to treat, and something that a podiatrist sees on a regular basis. Often, the pain will be temporarily treated to get you back up on your feet, but for a long lasting effect, orthoses can be designed for your specific foot type. Orthoses give you long lasting relief by correcting your foot allowing it to avoid this flat position and prevent the constant stretch of your fascia. These orthoses can be designed to fit in any good quality running shoe and will in no way hinder the athlete. It will actually help you to get back out there and enjoy the sport without the pain that has been holding you back.

A common mistake is to try and push yourself through the pain. With this condition and many others, not treating the cause will lead to a greater amount of damage and a longer recovery time. For a runner, this means more time sitting out from your sport. In extreme cases, surgery could be necessary. So, to help prevent this, it is important to seek podiatric care as soon as you start to notice that something is not right. One of the many perks of being an athlete is that you know your body well, so make sure that you treat it right!