WHAT IS IT?
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is mainly manifested by pain at the sole of the foot, which is exacerbated with weight bearing on the foot, such as in standing or with walking.
The plantar fascia is a fibrous membrane which is located at the sole of the foot and extends from the heel bone to the base of the toes.
Following a sudden movement or a progressive stress placed on the foot, the membrane of the plantar fascia can become stretched.
This fibrous membrane not being very flexible, excessive or constant stretching of the plantar fascia can cause small tears or a partial rupture of its fibers. This is followed by an inflammatory reaction, hence the origin of the name plantar fasciitis.
RISK FACTORS:
- Flat feet or arched feet (which can cause an imbalance in the mechanics of the foot)
- Excessive weight on the lower extremities (e.g. due to obesity or pregnancy)
- Having an occupation that requires prolonged standing
- The practice of certain activities or sports (such as running or jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, etc.), especially if there is no proper warm-up prior
- Wearing shoes that do not have a good support and that are not able to properly support the arch and heel of the foot
- A loss of flexibility of the plantar fascia (which is a natural consequence of normal aging of the plantar fascia)
WHAT DO PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENTS CONSIST OF?
Firstly, physiotherapy treatments will aim to reduce the pain and inflammation present with the use of electrotherapy (such as ultrasound or TENS), ice and proper education regarding the activities that may worsen your condition and thus that should be avoided for the time being. Then, your therapist will use a wide array of manual therapy and myofascial release techniques, and will prescribe effective stretching and strengthening exercises for the calf and intrinsic muscles of the foot.
If this condition is not treated early, the pain associated with plantar fasciitis is likely to persist. Furthermore, this inflammatory condition may produce a heel spur over time, i.e. a bone formation where the membrane of the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone.
Therefore, please consult a Forcemedic physiotherapist as soon as possible for a quick recovery!
