What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation of the tissue (the plantar fascia ligament) that connects the heel bone to the toes, runs across the bottom of the foot and supports the arch of your foot. Sometimes, people also get bone spurs.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

Generally, straining the plantar fascia ligament causes Plantar Fasciitis. Repeatedly straining it can actually tear the ligament. This makes it become weaker and often leads to it becoming irritated, swollen and inflamed. People find the bottom of their feet or their heel hurts when they stand or walk. It is very common in middle age, although it does happen earlier to people who are on their feet a lot. It can happen in one foot or both.

You are also more likely to get Plantar Fasciitis if you roll your feet too far inward when you walk, have flat feet or high arches, are overweight, have tight calf muscles or Achilles tendons or if you wear shoes that are ill-fitting or worn.

Most people with Plantar Fasciitis feel pain (sometimes stabbing pain) and stiffness when they first get out of bed or when they move after sitting for a long period. This pain can also be worse at the end of the day, especially if you have been on your feet for long periods.

However, pain during the night can indicate that it is caused by arthritis or nerve issues. Sometimes, people with a stress fracture can also experience similar symptoms. This can be detected via an X-ray.

What Are Conventional Medical Treatments For Plantar Fasciitis?

It is a matter of finding out what works for you. Your doctor might tell you to try resting your feet more, walking less on hard surfaces, putting cloth-covered ice packs on your heel, taking painkillers like ibuprofen, and doing more toe, calf and leg stretches (e.g. sitting on the ground and keeping your legs straight while you use a towel to pull yourself closer to your feet). Sometimes, getting new shoes or shoe inserts can help. Sometimes, physical therapy and/or using athletic taping or Foot Arch Band Supports (FABS) can help.

If these measures don’t help after a number of months, sometimes doctors will recommend wearing night splints or they will inject steroids into the heel. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy using sound waves can also be recommended, although its effects are inconsistent and it sometimes causes pain. Generally, surgery is only needed in extreme cases.

Changing the way you walk to try to reduce Plantar Fasciitis can sometimes lead to other issues, such as hip problems.

What Are Alternative Treatments For Plantar Fasciitis?

Some people find that massage can help. Yoga can also be useful, as it stretches the body. Some say drinking apple cider vinegar helps. Some say wearing boots instead of shoes can help. Some believe taking turmeric and/or calcium supplements helps. Others say soaking each morning in water with a lot of borax added helped (after a week of doing so regularly). Others say rubbing affected areas in Grapefruit Seed Extract, Magnesium oil or warm castor oil helps. Of course, there is an essential oil that many find helpful. See the Useful Essential Oils tab for details.