Plantar Faciitis
The
plantar fascia is a sheet of muscle tissue that traverses the foot bottom from
the heel bone to the toes. When inflamed, the discomfort is usually first
noticed during running and then becomes more prominent when the patient arises
in the morning. It is situated directly in front of the heel. This
symptom can be immediately differentiated
from
that of heel bruise pain if when standing the athlete needs to place his weight on the heel rather than
the ball of the foot to ease the pain.
The exact mechanism of this injury is not entirely clear, but contributory factors may include excessive ankle pronation and weak plantar fascia tissue.
Corrective modalities should comprise : 1) Shoe Analysis -Virtually all running shoe manufacturers offer gait-corrective shoes. If your bio-mechanical flaw is over-pronation, this is the first step towards correction. 2) Orthotics - These shoe inserts provide much the same benefit as gait-specific shoes but at a greater cost but on a much more personalized level. 3) Exercise - Strengthening the tissue plantar fascia thru toe "scrunching" on a towel (gathering the towel up with the toes) is a solid long term measure. 4) Medication - If the pain is too acute, cortisone injections can provide immediate relief but will not eliminate the condition. 5) Surgery - In the most extreme instances, especially cases that last 12 months or more, a more invasive approach may provide the only solution.