Plantar Fasciitis Heel and Foot Pain

As any competitive athlete may know, injuries are bound to happen. Most often, athletic injuries are mostly simple and do not usually require extensive treatment to help reverse symptoms. However, in many instances athletes may ignore signs of damage that occur in the body, particularly when it comes to the feet.

Our feet take on a significant amount of weight and pressure during sports such as baseball, soccer, hockey, basketball, or other sports that require running and placing repetitive pressure on the feet. In most cases, damage to the feet can be prevented and treated easily. In other instances, damage may progress and become worse if nothing is done to treat or prevent foot injuries.

The most common type of foot ailment that athletes face is plantar fasciitis.

Although it may sound unfamiliar to some, plantar fasciitis is by far the most common type of injury that affects the heel of the foot. The plantar fascia is a ligament that runs the length of the foot, attaching to the heel bone and running through the foot towards the toes. This structure is made up of many small bands of tissue. Like a rubber band, the fascia can stretch out and become tense and then become loose again. When we walk or run, the fascia stretches and becomes taut as we lift our foot off the ground. When it comes down, tension on the ligament decreases. During exercise this expanding and contracting can happen repetitively and at very high speeds. Because of the stress placed on the fascia during sports, the tissue can begin to develop tears and inflammation and serious pain can often ensue, particularly in the heel of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis develops when the plantar fascia ligament becomes stretched abnormally or excessively.

When not properly warmed up, the fascia can becomes easily damaged under the repetitive stress of movement and running during many popular sports such as soccer and basketball. In rare cases the fascia can even develop a rupture, which is more serious than a simple tear. Tears in the plantar fascia can result in aching pain that can be localized in the heel or radiate throughout the foot. Pain is usually most notable in the morning and dissipates through the day as the injured ligament warms up, but can often return again later in the day. Exercising or playing sports on such an injury causes it to become worse and inhibits healing.

Since this type of heel pain is so common, athletes should become much more aware of proper prevention techniques. By avoiding plantar fasciitis and related conditions of heel pain, athletes can avoid having this type of injury affect their performance and their ability to play sports. Although proper injury prevention may at first seem like a burden, it can keep injuries from becoming a nuisance that disrupts your game.

Initial prevention of plantar fasciitis includes stretching.

Many athletes forgo stretching prior to any physical activity. This is often because athletes become eager to begin their work out routines and simply forget to warm up. Without stretching, the fascia stays tight during exercise, increasing the risk of creating tears in the tissue. Additionally, tight muscles in the calf can also increase the strain on the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia during sports which also can contribute significantly to the development of plantar fasciitis. Stretching not only before, but also after physical activity is also important to help reduce strain and properly cool down after a strenuous workout.

During exercise it’s also crucial that you don’t overdo it.

Ease into routines of increasing length or difficulty. Increasing the level of difficulty too soon can place sudden and excessive pressure on the plantar fascia, as well as other tissue, and could cause serious damage. This is one of the hardest steps to take in preventing heel injuries since athletes become determined to train harder and harder as fast as they can to quickly improve their skill and performance. However, if you injure yourself, all that extra training could have been a waste. When changing a routine of exercise do it slowly over time and make sure to take breaks periodically to allow the plantar fascia to rest. In addition, running up hills or up steep inclines can also be helpful for building muscle, however this type of training can adversely affect your feet. When running on an incline, the fascia is forced to stretch even further than on flat surfaces. When this is done repeatedly, repetitive strain is placed on the fascia which can easily lead to tears and damage in the fascia tissue.

Injury prevention can also consist of wearing the proper shoes.

Shoes play in integral role in the prevention of damage to the heel of the foot. When exercising and playing sports athletes should wear athletic shoes that fit properly and that also provide ample support. There should be adequate support throughout the foot, with cushioning especially around the heel, arch, and mid-foot. When crucial areas throughout the foot are supported during sports, strain can be substantially minimized.

Despite these relatively simple methods of injury prevention, athletes can still have trouble adhering to many of these techniques. If pain and inflammation develop in the heel of the foot, chances are that plantar fasciitis has developed. Luckily, most cases of this condition can be treated through conservative, simple means. At the earliest sign of pain in the heel, rest should be the first form of treatment. Exercising further or simply ignoring the pain can cause more tears to develop and could make healing the area more difficult. Additionally, icing the area and using over the counter anti-inflammatory medications are also easy ways to help treat pain and inflammation.

If pain continues to be a problem for athletes, there are also conservative ways to not only reduce pain, but actually treat the condition of plantar fasciitis in the long term. The most popular way to do this is through orthotic shoe inserts. These simple devices can be slipped into nearly any pair of shoes. As your walk on many orthotics, they help to add needed support around the heel and provide the ability to gently stretch out the plantar fascia ligament, thereby facilitating healing. Although some orthotics provide true healing of plantar fasciitis, many others actually provide only simple cushioning. Basic shoe inserts available at your local drug store are often designed to give added comfort over the standard soles within your shoes. Many of these basic devices, however, are not designed to provide actual long term relief from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, or other heel pain conditions.

When playing any type of sport, injury can often occur and take its toll on your performance. With many sports, plantar fasciitis and heel pain can become common problems. When athletes become more aware of potential heel injuries, they can take the necessary steps to help avoid such painful, and sometimes debilitating, conditions.

Article written by David Lux. David is a Heel Pain Specialist at Heel That Pain Inc, a treatment clinic dedicated to heel pain. Read more information at the HTP resource on Plantar Fasciitis. Before making any decisions on treatment, we remind you to consult with your doctor.

http://www.HEEL-THAT-PAIN.com 3900 Prospect Avenue Suite H, Yorba Linda, CA 92886 Phone: 877-215-3200