plantar fasciitis

It comes in a range of severities, with some of our patients feeling mild yet frustrating symptoms for months on end, some with ‘lightning bolt’ first step pain every morning, and others with debilitating pain that barely lets them put their heel pain!

The more likely cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis, the inflammation of a tissue called the plantar fascia which inserts into the bottom of the heel. Research confirms this with one study showing heel spurs to be a normal variant in the foot and only 3% of heel spurs being located within the plantar fascia, which could mean that it could damage the fascia and produce heel pain. Another study that looked at patients with heel pain in one foot showed that almost half of them had heel spurs in both feet, while 39% had no heel spurs in either foot. A few even had a heel spur in the opposite foot to the one they were experiencing their pain in.

Have Heel Pain Because I Have Flat Feet

This myth tends to stem from the belief that flat feet are bad. While we agree that for some people, the cause of their heel pain is because their flatter foot posture significantly overloads their plantar fascia past the point that it can handle and damage occurs, we strongly disagree that this is the case for everyone. Even more so, for those where flat feet play a role, there are often other factors that add to the equation, such as wearing un supportive shoes, spending long hours on your feet, having a tight Achilles tendon and plenty more.

What this means is that you shouldn’t feel like you’re sentenced to lifelong heel pain just because you have flat feet - because you’re not. There are many people with flat feet who don’t get heel pain, and plenty more with arches who do get heel pain. 

plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of each foot and connects the heel bone to the toes, known as the plantar fascia.

Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that often occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or when you stand up after sitting.

The cause of plantar fasciitis is poorly understood. It is more common in runners and in people w

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES:

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

Most common symptoms of plantar fasciitis include

Heel pain

Pain in your arch of food 

Stiffness

Swelling around your heel

A tight Achilles tendon

What does plantar fasciitis feel like?

Plantar fasciitis usually causes an achy pain in your heel or along the bottom of your foot. The pain can change depending on what you’re doing or the time of day. Some types of pain you might feel include:

• Pain when you stand up after sleeping or sitting down. The pain usually goes away after walking for a few minutes.
• A dull, constant ache.
• Sharp or stabbing pain when you use your affected foot or put pressure on your heel.
• Exercising or moving might temporarily relieve your pain, but it’ll usually get worse as soon as you stop.
• Increased pain first thing in the morning or when you stand up after sitting or sleeping.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

Anything that irritates or damages your plantar fascia can cause plantar fasciitis, including:

• Being on your feet all day for work.
• Playing sports.
• Exercising or working on a hard surface (like a warehouse floor or the sidewalk).
• Exercising without stretching or warming up.
• Wearing shoes that don’t support your feet well enough (like flip flops or flat, flexible sneakers).
• Walking or standing barefoot while you’re at home.

Some health conditions can cause plantar fasciitis, including:

• High arch feet.
• Flat feet.
• Obesity (or gaining more than 15 pounds in a few months)
• Diagnosis and Tests?
• How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?
• X-rays.
• An ultrasound.
• An MRI.

TREATMENT

A gateway to painfree life -non operatiove treatment for heel

Heel pain embolization, or Plantar Fasciitis Embolization (PFE), is a minimally invasive procedure that treats chronic heel pain by reducing blood flow to the inflamed plantar fascia in the foot. Tiny particles are injected into the abnormal blood vessels supplying the injured tissue, which helps to decrease inflammation and promote healing. This outpatient procedure, performed by interventional radiologists, offers a quicker recovery time and can provide relief for patients who haven't found success with traditional treatments.