Our foot has a particular arch, which in combination with connective tissue and bones helps in movement. However, sometimes, you will feel your feet aching a lot without any reason. It could be due to several podiatric problems such as flat feet, high arched feet, and so on.
However, it is plantar fasciitis which is the most painful medical condition. Even though the disease is common in athletes and those who stand on their feet for prolonged periods, it needs proper treatment as the pain only escalates further, if left unnoticed and untreated.
This is why we have talked about the major plantar fasciitis treatment procedures, both clinical and physical, in the following sections. Before moving to the treatment procedures, it’s best to give you a brief overview of the podiatric condition first.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The tissues connecting your heel bone to the toes are known as the plantar fascia. It forms a thick, branching ligament network that forms a connection between the toes and the back of your feet. When you are walking or running excessively, pressure is applied to the tissue network. They get inflamed and result in a health condition also termed as plantar fasciitis.
Symptoms of plantar fasciitis
Learning the symptoms will help you identify the condition sooner and get timely plantar fasciitis treatment. That’s why here we have listed some of the common symptoms below.
- Sharp shooting pain in the heels
- Difficulty in walking
- Inflammation in the heel area
- Tender feet sole near the heels
- Linear radiation of the pain along the back of the calves
Top ways of treating plantar fasciitis
Usually, a lot of techniques are suggested for the proper plantar fasciitis treatment. However, in this section, we will describe only the best and the most effective procedures that will help reduce the pain and internal inflammation.
- Medications: To reduce the pain and swelling, your doctor might prescribe certain medicines. These medicines have both astringent and anti-inflammatory properties which will work on both the conditions and bring relief.
- Physiotherapy: Heat and sound treatments work amazing in reducing the swelling of the heels and the pain in the bones. However, you must look for a professional having proper knowledge about podiatric therapies to make the most out the sessions.
- Stretching exercises: Another amazing plantar fasciitis treatment is stretching. You can perform these exercises anywhere, be it home or office. Stretching will help in coordinating movements between the small foot bones. In addition, the exercises will also improver blood circulation and reduce the swelling of the plantar fascia tissues.
- Surgical treatment: This is applicable only when the pain lasts for more than six months and the initial treatments fail to reduce the swelling. Through surgery, the inflamed tissue is removed, without the changing the arch of the foot.
- Shoe inserts: If your profession requires excessive walking, you can use the shoe inserts to reduce shock waves passing through your heels. These can be custom designed as per your requirements. Just make sure to get different inserts for different shoes.
- Massage: One of the best plantar fasciitis treatment procedures is massage. Here, pressure will be applied to the swollen tissue to distribute the pain evenly. Also, warm essential oils having anti-inflammatory properties are used to lessen the inflammation.
- Acupuncture: In this method, some special devices are used to apply the right amount of pressure on your heels. This further reduces the pain and will help you get back on your feet, the literal way.
Conclusion
With so many plantar fasciitis treatment procedures, you need to ensure that you are choosing the right method. Sometimes, home remedies and physical exercises can reduce inflammation and tenderness. However, you need to take medicines as well, since they will relieve pain help speed up the recovery process.
This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contact affiliate links. Photo Credit: RF123