Do You Have Heel Pain?

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that is common amongst middle aged people and runners. The most common complaints of a person with plantar fasciitis is that they have pain in the bottom of their heel that is killing them at the first step out of bed in the morning. The pain will get worse if they have been sitting down and resting and then stand back up. There are few things that relieve the pain, but pain killers and icing your heel will help.

So, what exactly is this condition? It is called plantar fasciitis and results when a band on the bottom of your foot is overstretched and becomes irritated. The constant stretching of the band makes it very sore, and can actually cause microtears in the fascia. Once this happens, you will have pain after you have been resting because your fascia had a chance to return to its regular size.

So, what can you do for this condition? Well, the icing will certainly help. But, it is really important to help your fascia heel. This can be done by giving you a steroid shot in your heel. This injection will help to relieve the inflammation surrounding your fascia. This will also help to reduce the pain so that you can do the physical therapy of your plantar fascia. You can do this by freezing a water bottle and rolling it under your heel. This will help to numb the area and take away more of your inflammation.

You can then use orthotic inserts to let your foot sit in a position to take the pressure off of the band. This will allow the plantar fascia to heal and provide you relief. You can also use a night brace while sleeping to hold your foot in a favorable position. If the plantar fasciitis is not treated and continues to get worse, it can actually cause the plantar fascia to rupture.

If you are having pain in your heel, you should go and visit your local podiatrist so that they can determine what is causing your pain. If you live in the Boston or Dracut, Massachusetts area, Dr. Wachtel would be more than happy to see you and help determine the best treatment for your condition. We are also happy to announce our Methuen and North Andover offices located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and 87 Jackson St, Methuen, MA 01835.