Do you have stabbing, burning heel pain? When you get out of bed or out of your car is your foot achy and painful to walk on? If yes, you may be suffering from Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar Fasciitis is caused by inflammation of your plantar fascia, a band of tissue that supports your arch. It can arise for various reasons including improper shoe gear, overuse, or even your foot type. Anything that causes increased stress on the arch supporting ligament will cause this debilitating pain.

How is it treated?

For immediate pain relief, your podiatric physician can give you a cortisone injection. There are many conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis that when used accordingly are very successful. You should be icing and stretching the bottom of your foot daily. Your podiatric physician may refer you to a physical therapist to aid in your treatment and to teach you the most effective stretching techniques for your foot type and condition. You may also be advised to wear a night splint that stretches your tendons and fascia in your foot while you sleep. These treatments can significantly reduce the inflammation of your plantar fascia and thus reduce your pain. It is also necessary to address your shoe gear. You should be wearing shoes that properly stabilize your foot and support your arch. Your podiatric physician can provide you with a prefabricated or custom orthotic that would give your achy foot the support it need. Athletic shoes are easily broken down and lose their supportive capabilities and should be replaced on a regular basis. This is a common cause of heel pain in runners. Your podiatrist can properly advise you on proper shoe gear and how often you should replace your sneakers.

How fast will the pain go away?

Since the fascia or ligament in the bottom of your foot is injured, the pain will not go away over night. It takes time and therapy to improve the integrity of the tissue. If you are diligent with the treatment plan, your pain will subside. When your pain goes away, you should not stop wearing proper shoe gear and orthotics and continue to stretch because the pain can reoccur.

You do not need to wake up every morning with achy feet. You can get back to walking, running, or even daily activities with simple conservative treatment! When your pain is addressed one step at a time, you will see results.