Plantar Fasciitis Treatment and Care

There are many different methods of plantar fasciitis treatment but there is no one treatment that works for everyone. Different treatments help different people. Patients need to be active in their treatment. Experimenting with several different treatments is often necessary before finding those that help.

Here are the most common plantar fasciitis treatment methods:

1. Rest until the pain goes away. It can be very difficult to rest the foot as most people will be on their feet during the day for work. By walking on the painful foot you are continually aggravating the injury and increasing inflammation. Rest as much as possible and stop any unnecessary activities which place additional stress on the fascia.

2. Gait analysis will determine if you overpronate or oversupinate. An expert may perform a test of the way you stand and walk to see if you step in a way that put more stress on the plantar fascia.

3. Cold therapy, like applying ice, to help reduce pain and inflammation. Cold therapy can be applied regularly until symptoms have resolved. Some patients prefer to roll their foot over an iced cold drink can or bottle taken out of the freezer.

4. Physical therapy Exercises, Stretching and other physical therapy measures may be used to help provide relief.

5. Exercise the feet muscles to make them stronger. One good exercise is grabbing and lifting up a towel or marbles using your toes. You can do the same exercise without a towel as though you are grasping something with the toes of each foot. Another good exercise is walking as tall as you can on your toes and ball of your feet.

6. Stretching the plantar fascia and the calf muscles several times a day is an important part of treatment and prevention. There are many stretching exercises for the plantar fascia and the calf muscles that you can find. Simply reducing pain and inflammation alone is unlikely to result in long term recovery. The plantar fascia tightens up making the origin at the heel more susceptible to stress.

7. Plantar fasciitis taping technique can help the foot get the rest it needs by supporting the plantar fascia. Taping supports the foot, placing stressed muscles and tendons in a physiologically restful state.Tape is applied in strips across the plantar fascia taking the stress off the fascia. By restricting the foot movement and flexibility the tape keeps the fascia from damage.

8. Plantar fasciitis night splint is worn overnight and gently stretches the calf muscles and plantar fascia preventing it from tightening up overnight.

9. Orthotics or inserts that your doctor may prescribe. Off-the-shelf or custom-fitted arch supports (orthotics) to help distribute pressure to your feet more evenly. Arch Support provides a slight lift to the arch helping to support the plantar fascia. There are also over-the-counter orthotics that may be used for arch support and cushioning the heel. Heel cradles and heel cups provide extra comfort, cushion the heel, and reduce the amount of shock and shear forces placed during everyday activities.

10. Anti-inflammatory or Pain medication that a clinician may recommend. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen can reduce swelling and relieve pain. However, these medications have many possible side effects and it is important to weigh the potential risks and benefits.

11. Lose weight as much as you can. Extra pounds put extra stress on your plantar fascia.

12. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is a procedure when sound waves are directed at the area of heel pain to stimulate healing. It is usually used for chronic plantar fasciitis that has not responded to more conservative treatments. This procedure may cause bruises, swelling, pain, numbness or tingling, and has not been shown to be consistently effective.

13. Corticosteroid injection into the tender area may provide relief in severe cases. Medications of this class reduce inflammation powerfully. Corticosteroid injections can provide short-term relief from the pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Symptom relief from corticosteroid injection lasts for 3 to 6 weeks, but often the effect wears off and symptoms come back.

14. Surgery to release the plantar fascia from its attachment may be necessary. Surgery is rarely required for people with plantar fasciitis. It would only be recommended if all other treatments fail and the person had persistent symptoms for at least 6 to 12 months.

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