Plantar fasciitis: What is it & how can PT help?

Let’s start with pronunciation– plantar fasciitis (Plan-tar Fa-she-I-tis)

What is it?
Plantar fascia is a thick connective tissue on the bottom of your foot connecting from your heel to your toes. It helps support the arch of your foot and adds cushion/shock absorption with walking.
Plantar fasciitis is a condition in which the plantar fascia becomes inflamed and painful. This can be a result of overuse (commonly seen in people who stand and walk long hours at work, or who participate in strenuous exercise like long distance running). It can also occur because of a lack of arch support in the foot. This could be due to poor footwear or poor muscular support in the foot resulting in increased
strain on the fascia.

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms of plantar fasciitis include sharp pain in the bottom of the foot, typically by the heel. You may notice increased symptoms when you take your first steps after getting out of bed or after getting up from sitting for a while. Symptoms can also occur after being on your feet for an extended period without rest.

What to do about it?

Rest: While this approach can be difficult because life gets in the way, allowing time for the plantar fascia to heal can be beneficial to relieve symptoms.

Physical therapy: During your evaluation, your physical therapist will look at your walking mechanics, foot structure, range of motion, and strength in order to determine the best treatment approach for your specific case. Treatment will focus on pain management, improving range of motion, and improving muscular activation in the foot and lower leg in order to limit the amount of strain on the fascia to support your foot with standing and walking. The goal would be to eliminate symptoms and address any structural or strength impairments to avoid symptoms returning in the future.

Injections/steroids: sometimes a doctor will prescribe different types of medications to manage symptoms including oral steroids or an injection to the foot itself in order to reduce inflammation and pain. This can sometimes be helpful on its own or in combination with physical therapy interventions to improve tolerance to PT treatment.

What happens if I ignore my symptoms?

Continuing to push through symptoms of plantar fasciitis without treatment can result in more problems. In addition to adding continued stress and strain to your feet, your body will likely try to compensate for the pain by altering the way you walk, which can result in more problems in other areas of your body including the knees, hips, and back. It is best to seek treatment as soon as possible to limit further injury.

Your feet are the foundation of your body- it is important to take good care of them!