Have your ever-got out of bed first thing in the morning only to feel a sharp pain in your foot when taking your first steps? Sometimes the pain lingers for a while but then goes away after you have walked for a bit. If you have, you may be suffering from Plantar Fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is when the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot (plantar fascia), connecting your heel bone to your toes, is inflamed. The pain usually occurs early in the morning with your first steps and trails off as the day progresses, but it can show up when you have been standing or sitting for a long period.
Generally the condition will cause a stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot near the heel but can spread through the arch of the foot and toward the toes. It is the result of tension and stress on your plantar fascia causing small tears within the tissue although in many cases, the cause is unknown.
Those of us who are between the ages of 40-60 are at higher risk of experiencing this together with those who participate in exercises such as long-distance running, ballistic jumping activities, ballet dancing, and aerobic dance. You may also be at a higher risk if you are flat-footed, have a high arch, walk with an abnormal gait, if you are overweight and if you are on your feet for long periods of time.
The condition is generally treated with rest, ice, massage, and stretching the toes up, together with exercises that strengthen the bottom of the foot. You may want to talk to your doctor about anti-inflammatory and pain medications that may help as you begin treatment. You may also consider speaking to a Physiotherapist who can advise on exercises that will stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon and help to strengthen your foot and lower leg muscles.
It may be recommended that you wear a night splint created to stretch your calf and the arch of your foot while you sleep, or custom-made arch supports that will help dissipate the pressure placed on your feet with each step. More serious treatments may require steroid injections or even surgery, although this is rare.
When experiencing any pain within the foot and heel area, it is imperative that you see your doctor as soon as possible so they can properly diagnose and get you on the right treatment plan before more damage can be done. It is also important to make sure that you are wearing shoes that support the natural alignment of your foot.
Here at the Thai Massage Room & Spa, we offer a Foot and Lower leg Massage Treatment that may help to ease the symptoms.