Plantar fasciitis is marked by intense pain in the heel and in the bottom of the foot, which usually is more intense at night and early in the morning. It can be caused by a number of issues, such as overuse, bone spurs or neuromas that all result in chronic inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue in the bottom of your foot. Since this condition is fairly common in runners, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with its symptoms and how to best treat it. Prompt treatment of plantar fasciitis prevents more serious injuries from occurring and allows you to get back on the track as quickly as possible.

Rest, Ice And Elevate The Affected Foot

If you believe that you are suffering from plantar fasciitis, you will need to take the steps necessary to allow your foot to heal. The absolute worst thing you can do when you have plantar fasciitis is to attempt to run through the pain; some runners mistakenly believe that exercise is the only thing that can heal plantar fasciitis. At first glance, this seems to be true. Walking on the affected foot will increase blood flow to the area, making the fascia in the bottom of your foot more pliable and reducing the pain that you experience. Unfortunately, treating the symptoms in this way will not alleviate the cause of the condition. In fact, continuing to run while you have plantar fasciitis greatly increases the risk of developing a more serious foot injury. Instead, you should rest your foot as much as possible while applying ice and keeping it elevated.

Orthotics Can Hasten Recovery

Recovery time can be shortened by using orthotics, which will distribute your weight more evenly across the bottom of your foot and away from affected areas. A podiatrist can use laser imaging to develop custom orthotics that are molded exactly to the shape of your feet, which are much more effective than store-bought orthotics in redistributing weight away from your heel and allowing your foot to recover. With plantar fasciitis in particular, orthotic boots are available that you can wear during the night to keep your feet in a supine position. This takes stress away from your plantar tendon and will increase the speed at which your foot heals, as well as reducing the amount of pain you experience when you lie down to sleep and when you first wake up in the morning.

Consider Finding A Podiatrist If The Pain Doesn't Go Away

While plantar fasciitis caused by overuse injury tends to heal on its own as inflammation decreases and your soft tissues repair themselves, overuse is not the sole cause of plantar fasciitis. It is also commonly caused by heel spurs, which are an overgrowth of bone in your heel that constantly rubs against your plantar tendon. This may need surgery to correct. If you are resting your affected foot and using orthotics, but the pain does not subside after a month, you should certainly see a podiatrist to have your foot imaged and find the root cause of your plantar fasciitis.

While painful, plantar fasciitis is not the end of your running career. It's not uncommon for runners to suffer from plantar fasciitis once a year. To minimize loss of conditioning due to being unable to run when you have plantar fasciitis, it's important to treat it as quickly and as effectively as possible, so it is an excellent idea to seek the counsel of an experienced podiatrist to minimize its effect on your exercise. Sometimes you might need professional treatment to soothe foot pain. If you feel like you need additional treatment, contact a business such as Camden County Foot & Ankle Associates.