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Do you experience stabbing pain in your heel when you take your first steps in the morning? Odds are that you have what’s known as plantar fasciitis, and the good news is that it’s highly treatable. At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, the team of experts has considerable experience helping their patients in Daly City, California, jump out of bed in the morning without any pain. To learn more about treating plantar fasciitis, call or use the online scheduler to book an appointment.
Plantar Fasciitis Q & A
What is plantar fasciitis?
Your plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes. This ligament is strung extremely taut to support the arch of your foot, which provides essential support for your entire body.
When this tissue becomes inflamed, it results in plantar fasciitis, which is typically characterized by stabbing or searing pain in your heels when you take your first steps in the morning or after a long period off your feet. The pain can also strike all along the band, and it usually subsides after a few steps.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation in your plantar fascia, which comes about as a result of tiny tears that develop in the tissue due to wear and tear and added stresses.
These tears develop for many reasons, but people who engage in concussive activities that place added stresses on their feet, such as runners or dancers, are more prone to the condition over time. There are other factors that put you more at risk for plantar fasciitis, including:
- Age (the condition usually comes on between 40 and 60)
- Gender (women are more prone to the condition)
- Obesity
- Spending long hours on your feet on hard surfaces
- High arches or flat feet
- Walking mechanics (if you walk irregularly, you place more stress on the tissue)
Whatever the underlying cause, it’s important that you see your orthopedist at Peninsula Orthopedic Associates at the first signs of plantar fasciitis in order to save you unnecessary pain down the road.
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
The doctors at Peninsula Orthopedic Associates typically take a conservative approach to plantar fasciitis, starting with anti-inflammatory medications, rest, ice, and special exercises. The goal of this approach is to allow time for the tiny tears in your tissue to heal, while also addressing the inflammation that’s causing your pain.
The exercises your doctor recommends are designed to gently stretch the tissue so it’s better able to respond to stresses in the future.
If your plantar fasciitis doesn’t respond well to these therapies, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections, a walking cast, or surgery. To get rid of the pain of plantar fasciitis, call Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, or request an appointment by filling out the online form.