Plantar Fasciitis is a common disease that usually occurs after age fifty.
It's major symptom is excruciating pain in the heels and is sometimes associated with heel (calcaneus) spurs. The plantar fascia are the ligaments and other tissues (fascia) that hold the heel to the the foot, including its two balls. The foot is not one bone but many. The tibia, lower leg bone connects to the foot via the talus, which is connected, attached to the calcaneus (heel) and navicular bones. The lower part of the calcaneus is also attached to the navicular. The navicular bone connects to the rest of the foot's bones.
Ligaments connect bone to bone. Tendons connect ligaments to muscles. The contraction and expansion, relaxation of the muscles tightens and loosens the tendons, which in turn, move the bones.
When the plantar fascia become inflamed or loose, intense pain in the heels, occurs usually worse after rising, especially first thing in the morning. It is sometimes associated with heel spurs, mineral accumulations that may or may not produce pain, depending on the severity, size and location.
I personally suffered from this disease, at age 54. Excruciating pain, especially first thing in the morning or after sitting or laying down for any extended period of time. I had it in both heels. It took me 7-8 months to suffer, figure it out and 2-3 additional months to cure, as in 100%, no pain, no recurrence, just long satisfying walks (I walk 2-5 miles per day).
You have to know the whole before you can cure the part (symptom, disease).
The body digests, transforms food, nutrients into blood into structure into function.
FOOD> digestion. absorption> BLOOD> structure> function> health or disease
The bones, tendons, ligaments, nerves, etc. are built, fueled, cleansed and moistened by blood. Blood carries nutrients (building and cleansing) to all the cells, tissues (organs, bones, etc.). Protein and fat build and fuel. Water, sugar, minerals, etc. reduce, cleanse, cool and moisten. The correct amount of blood, building and cleansing nutrients builds and maintains the correct amount of structure (tendons, ligaments, bones, etc.) and function (movement, support, etc.) where the body mind can thrive (health, longevity, pleasure, etc.). The incorrect amounts, too much or too little, in the extreme, weaken, reduce movement and support, holding, etc.) and sicken, pain the body mind, tendons, ligaments, bones, nerves, etc.
Too little, blood, protein and fat deficiency tends to weaken, dry, loosen and inflame the joints, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc. Blood builds, fuels, moistens, cools, etc. Blood deficiency is generally caused by:
1. Low protein and low fat diets, in the extreme
2. High carbohydrate, vegan and or raw diets, in the extreme
3. Hemorrhage (includes menstruation)
4. Chronic illness, drugs, medication
5. Clogged liver, heart, arteries
Blood, protein and fat deficiency tends to dry, weaken and or loosen the tissues (ligaments, tendons, muscles, organs, etc.) causing pain, heat, inflammation, coldness and numbness, especially in the extremities: head, arms and legs.
Many arthritic (inflammation of the joint) type diseases (Plantar Fasciitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, etc.) can be caused by blood deficiency, which is common among women. Women tend to eat low protein, low fat and high carbohydrate diets. They also tend to menstruate, the combination of which, tends to produce blood deficiency (anemia, thin skin, hair, nails and bones, infertility, miscarriage, short term pregnancy, pain and many autoimmune illnesses. Coffee, caffeine can also be a contributing cause as caffeine is very drying.
Blood stagnation (high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, cirrhosis, etc.) can also be a cause. This was my case, pathology. Typical male: High protein, high fat, high starch and not enough fruits and vegetables. Despite my "good" diet, it was not good enough to clear the arteries. veins, etc.
All blood passes in and out the liver. The liver stores, cleanses (removes excess protein and fat) and distributes the blood. Protein and fat are thick, sticky nutrients. High protein and high fat diets, in the extreme, clog the liver reducing its functions. More protein and fat, cholesterol, fat pour back into the bloodstream, arteries, veins, heart, liver, etc. More blood (protein, fat, water, minerals, sugar, etc.) passes into the liver (causing it to swell and harden) than out. Blood circulation, especially to the extremities: hands, feet and head is reduced producing pain, weakness, inflammation, Plantar Fasciitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc. in addition to high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, etc. Clogged arteries and veins naturally reduce blood flow to the extremities.
Liver pathologies, cures are tough but doable.
1. Reduce protein and fat, especially animal, red meat, eggs, chicken, fish, etc. I ate turkey once a day. Otherwise it was beans (tofu, aduki, etc.), nuts and seeds in addition to rice (white), bread, noodles, 3-5 cooked vegetables (cabbage, raw or cooked, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, celery, onions, carrots, with tops, etc.), spices, especially fennel, fruit (apples), tea (peppermint, chrysanthemum) and herbs (golden seal, gentian, etc.).
Meal plan, two times per day, preferably breakfast and lunch. Dinner no later than 6P.M.
1/3 Protein and fat: beans, nuts, seeds, reduce animal protein and fat (1x per day, turkey)
1/3 Grain: white rice, noodles, bread
1/3 Cooked and or raw vegetables, 3-5, cabbage, celery
NO potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, etc. The nightshade family has been known to exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis.
2. Eat less, smaller meals. Skip and or space the meals. Go hungry. Drink water.
I cured in 2-3 months. Initially I thought I was doomed, getting older (50's), par for the course. The I reasoned it out since my pain wasn't fixed and did seem to get better with movement but still wouldn't cure. Diet was the secret.
Poor diet created poor circulation, clogged liver, arteries, etc. Proper diet corrected, improved circulation, blood pressure, etc. Plantar fasciitis is a function of blood, structure and function and therefore a function of diet, nutrition.
The foot pains are of many kinds and there are various treatments available.
It is very often that your feet may feel occasional pangs after you have given a lot of stress on it or due to some malfunction of some ligament or bone inside the feet. The foot pain can be treated after the cause is diagnosed properly in the following cases like heel spurs, stress fractures, plantar fasciitis and flat feet.
The foot pains are of several types among which major types are described below:
Heel Spurs- Heel spurs have similar symptoms that of plantar fasciitis. The sufferer may feel the pain in heel and probably in the arch of the feet. The pain seems specifically acute when a person walks after he or she has been seated for prolong time. When there is a heel spur, you can feel acute pain when you press at the heel front and where the arch and heel intersect.
The heel spur is formed at the pointy annex of the heel bone. The causes of heel spurs are when some fascia is pulled off in the heel bone and results in some blood being left behind on it. When these little blood droplets sit on the heel bone, after calcified it becomes like a little extra bone, this occurs heel spur.
If you want permanent relief from it, going to a doctor will help you in doing so. Sometimes you may need to undergo a surgery to remove spurs but you will always have to put on orthotics.
Metatarsal Stress Fracture- The pain occurs in the thin long bone of your foot top joined with your toes. There is swelling or redness caused in the area where the stabbing pain will certainly knock over upon touching it. This generally occurs under the strain of running for long distances and if not, then the shoes you are wearing might be too tight for your feet.
You can observe a bone on the foot top, which has grown as a consequence of the weight applied to it. The treatment for it generally takes four to six weeks.
Plantar Fasciitis- This one is the commonest form of foot injury or pain. The pain is realized by you at the time when you get out of your bed and even when you stand up after being seated for longer hours. The pain due to plantar fasciitis can be confirmed when you feel extensive pain in the middle of the heel. This is caused when the fascia in your foot forms the arch connecting the heel bone to the balls of the feet.
The weight of your body moves improperly through the arch so that it gets overstretched. To treat this pain, it is important to make sure that hamstrings and calves of the feet are well-stretched. It is basically an inflammation of fascia. You can also take anti-inflammatory to reduce the swelling.
Flat Feet- Flat feet have number of symptoms, which is not similarly experienced by each one of you. These include pain in the arch, tired legs, low back pain and sore or tired feet. If your foot is weak the pain increases much. This happens while standing, when your weight falls at inside of the foot, and the arch almost entirely disappears.
This occurs when the fascia become overstretched, which results in the flexibility loss of your arch and it, does not work like a spring. To reduce the pain, your arch should be provided with extra support by arch strapping. However, a podiatrist can effectively solve the problem of foot pain.
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