A small but growing number of people each year are becoming aware that their foot conditions can also result in Plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis can make your life more difficult and may cost you a considerable amount of money if not treated correctly. Also, Plantar fasciitis happens due to repetitive stress, overuse, and inflammation of the plantar fascia tendon, which links the heel and the toes. The tissue damaged by the condition is located under the top of the arch but can create a sharp pain on the heel side.
As with any foot condition, this condition requires treatment. However, when suffering from Plantar fasciitis, it’s important to know what to expect. While the treatment varies from one person to another, some common treatments should be considered when treating this foot problem.
Sometimes, a cracking sound can be heard when walking. Over time, it can become more painful. But, in most cases, the pain only happens at night. The heel tends to feel like a brick and, often, the shoe you wear will feel tight or uncomfortable at night. Due to this, walking will be very painful and can even lead to a condition known as heel spurs, which are small bones that rub against each other.
Ways To Help Fix Plantar Fasciitis
Fortunately, there’s a wide range of treatments for this condition. You can ask your physician or contact Footsure Podiatry to learn more about your options. Meanwhile, here are three ways to manage Plantar fasciitis:
- Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy uses a combination of ultrasound waves and pneumatic air (pressurized by compressed nitrogen) to stimulate the plantar fascia, the muscle between the bone and the fascia that provide the strength and stability of the arch.
ESWT is primarily used for heel spurs or flat pain in the heel. It can also be used for pain in the lower back and buttocks, common with Plantar fasciitis.
The plantar fascia is found in the area of the foot that doesn’t get a lot of blood flow, which is the reason why it takes a long time for it to heal. During the treatment, a special probe is used to deliver pressure waves to the inflamed tissue. The shockwaves trigger the body’s natural healing process and cause new blood vessels to form.
- Ultrasonic Tissue Repair
Ultrasonic tissue repair, otherwise known as sound healing, is the latest breakthrough in technology and medicine. The process works by inserting an ultrasound probe into the damaged area. The probe produces high-frequency sounds that resonate with the injured tissues. This results in micro-surgery that heals the damaged area, making it easier to heal and reduce pain and scarring.
The first step for this treatment is to do an MRI to determine the location and extent of the damage of the tissue on the foot. Once the physician has a clear picture, they’ll make a small incision to insert the probe.
The probe produces ultrasonic energy to break down the damaged tissue and, at the same time, sucks the broken-down tissue to clear it away.
This type of treatment is safer than invasive surgery, which involves removing tissue from a patient to help repair the body. The use of sound waves prevents a blood clot from forming in the body, thus allowing the damaged tissue to heal itself. The sound waves also reduce pressure and swelling in the area, allowing the body to heal faster.
- Physical Therapy
When it comes to managing Plantar fasciitis, physical therapy is an important treatment option.
An advantage is that physical therapy involves a great deal of foot care. In other words, the therapist will help you keep your feet healthy by stretching them properly. They may even recommend wearing insoles that’ll protect your feet from injury as well as the pain that they cause. They’ll also teach you how to apply arch supports to help reduce pain and increase stability in your foot. These specialists will also teach you proper nutrition and exercise.
Before you decide on physical therapy for Plantar fasciitis, you should discuss any limitations that you have. For example, if you’re injured in your foot, you may not walk as far or for as long as you would like. Also, you may need to wear some form of support while you heal from surgery.
A physical therapist can help you understand these things so that you don’t have to live with the limitation for too long.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the type of treatment is prescribed for Plantar fasciitis, it’s important to keep your feet warm and comfortable. If you suffer from Plantar fasciitis, it’s important to keep your feet warm and dry. Further, avoid the use of any shoes that could lead to further damage to the area. Instead, opt to use the best shoes for Plantar fasciitis.
If none of the other methods seem to work, surgery may be needed. But you shouldn’t count yourself out as there are a lot of people who’ve had this condition and have recovered without surgery and are now running their normal activities again.
