Healing your heel. You might be suffering from a condition called plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia. What is the plantar fascia? Plantar means bottom and fascia refers to the type of tissue. This is the most common foot problem in Podiatry.
Symptoms can include pain in your heel or arch area after a time of rest.
People who tend to do a lot of walking all day or standing for extended amounts of time are who suffer from plantar fasciitis most often. Never fear! There are treatments that can help!
TECHNIQUES
Remember, every combination of treatment is different and unique for each patient. We will tailor your treatment around your job, activity level, age, etc. Before you come in for your initial appointment, you can try icing your foot, stretching, and elevating it while resting.
Stretching includes a simple runner stretch. Place one leg in front of the next, making sure to keep the back leg straight, bend into it. What you want to feel is the stretch in your calf.
You can also put your toes against the wall, leg straight, and lean towards the wall. Another stretch to try is placing a belt or towel around the ball of your foot, and pulling the towel back, pulling your “toes to your nose”. Perform this morning and night for 10 minutes each.
ICE
After a good stretch, have a bottle of water frozen in the freezer, remove the bottle and roll the ice on your heel and arch. Do this morning and night.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
The goal in performing each of these different techniques is to eliminate the inflammation in the area where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone. If this condition prolongs, you could develop heel spurs. Plantar fasciitis can come and go, but taking precautions and using these techniques will help to relieve the pain. At our office, the techniques and treatments we can do for you should eventually eliminate your pain.
We need to focus on supporting this “rubber band” like structure on the bottom of our foot because the plantar fascia is very tight as it pulls from the heel bone. That’s where custom orthotics can help! Each foot has a different shape and custom orthotics are made for your specific foot. No one else will be able to put this in their shoe. We scan your foot to make a unique and custom design. You will fall in love with how comfortable and supportive your shoes are with your new custom orthotics. Give us a call to learn more.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Are you ready to schedule your initial evaluation? At Howard County Foot and Ankle, we treat everything from warts and ingrown toenails to flatfeet and heel pain. Many people come to us for diabetic foot care or simply because they have foot pain or ankle pain and don’t know the cause of it. We handle emergencies such as fractures and infections as well. Dr. Bui performs a wide variety of surgeries and specializes in reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle. You won’t find a better foot doctor than our highly skilled and highly qualified, Dr. Christina Bui! We would love to be your go-to Podiatrist!
