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DESCRIPTION:
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thin layer of tough tissue supporting the arch of the foot. Repeated microscopic tears of the plantar fascia cause pain. Plantar fasciitis is sometimes also called “heel spurs,” but this is not always accurate since bony growths on the heel may or may not be involved. Although plantar fasciitis is most common in middle-aged men, it can occur in all age groups.
How does plantar fasciitis develop?
 The plantar fascia is a layer of ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot. It not only maintains the arch of the foot, it is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as we walk or run. The stress placed on the plantar fascia is tremendous, and when inflammation occurs it can be quite painful. The inflammation can result from excessive stretching, too much pressure or trauma. If the plantar fascia becomes partially detached at the heel, a heel spur results. A number of possible causes, often working in combination, result in plantar fasciitis. They include tightness of the foot and calf, improper athletic training, stress on the arch or weakness of the foot. Shoes that don’t fit, certain play or work actions or overuse (running too fast, too far, too soon) may also be involved. People with low arches, flat feet or high arches are at an increased risk of developing plantar fasciitis.
What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?
Symptoms of plantar fasciitis can occur either suddenly or gradually. When they occur suddenly, intense heel pain on taking the first morning steps, known as first-step pain, is usually involved. Although this heel pain often subsides as the individual begins to walk around, it may return in the late afternoon or evening. When symptoms occur gradually, a more chronic form of heel pain causes individuals to shorten their stride while running or walking. Individuals may also shift their weight toward the front of the foot, away from the heel.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis, but they do not address the root of the problem. By strengthening structural weaknesses in the body, as natural medicine treatments like Prolotherapy do, pain associated with plantar fasciitis may be alleviated permanently.
Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments are the best way to treat plantar fasciitis.
Learn about the treatments for
Plantar Fasciitis
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