If you are feeling the pain at the bottom of your heel, it might be due to Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar Fascia is a weblike, thick ligament that connects the front to the heel of your foot. It helps you in walking and also acts as a shock absorber. It also supports the arch of your foot while you walk. Dr. Gaurav Khera is a Best Joint Replacement Surgeon offering world-class surgeries.

What is the Planter fasciitis:

One of the most common complaints of Orthopaedic Surgeon is that of Plantar Fasciitis. In our day to day life, our Plantar Fascia faces a lot of wear and tear, and high pressure on it can even damage your ligaments. It generally causes inflammation in heels and also leads to stiffness.  The cause of discomfort in Plantar Fascia is still not known.

What cause planter fasciitis

The causes that are responsible for the Plantar Fasciitis are stated below.

• The highest risk of Plantar Fasciitis is to the active men and women between the ages group of 40 to 70 years.
• The problem is quite common in women when compared to men.
• The women in late pregnancy might experience the pain of Plantar Fasciitis.
• Those who are overweight have higher chances of suffering from Plantar Fasciitis. The main reason behind it is that higher pressure is experienced due to the gain of weight, it might lead to the wear and tear of ligaments.
• Those who are long-distance runners can also develop this problem.
• Those who have active work of standing on feet might also experience this problem.
• Other than these problems, the person with structural foot problems might develop this problem.
• The person wearing shoes with soft soles and poor arch experience the pain of Plantar Fasciitis.

Generally, people believe that the Plantar Fasciitis cause is the result of heel spurs, but this is not the actual cause of the problem.

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is the problem where the person suffers from pain in the bottom of the heel or might experience pain at the midfoot area. Generally, the pain is experienced in one foot, but in some cases, the pain may be experienced in both the feet.

The symptoms of this problem include pain.

• The pain develops with time and is not an immediate one, and can be mild or intense.
• The people might experience a burning sensation and the pain that extends outward from the heel.
• The person suffering from Plantar Fasciitis will experience severe pain early in the morning, just after the person keeps his/her step out of the bed.
•  The person suffering from Plantar Fasciitis will experience difficulty in climbing the steps due to stiffness in the heels.
•  The person doesn’t experience the pain while doing the activity, instead, the pain is felt as soon as they stop working.

Testing and Diagnosis of Plantar Fasciitis

When it comes to testing and doing the diagnosis of the problem, the doctor might opt for different ways to diagnose the problem.

• In order to know the exact location of the pain, the doctor might perform a physical examination, that will help him in examining the tenderness in the foot.
• The doctor can also put pressure on the foot, in order to observe, if the pain worsens or not.
• He might note if the person is experiencing redness or swelling.
• The doctor will also examine the strength of muscles and the health of the nerves, by checking reflexes, muscle tone, sense of touch and sight, coordination, and balance.
• The doctor can also suggest an X-ray or an MRI scan to know the reason behind the pain is Plantar Fasciitis and not any fracture.

How to cure planter fasciitis in one week

The treatment of Plantar Fasciitis includes both home remedies and getting it treated by the doctor.  The person suffering from this problem can use home remedies like icing, rest, using braces, and anti-inflammatory drugs. This is the first and foremost step to treat the problem. In case the pain is still very severe than it is recommended to consult the doctor to get the feet treated, as there are chances of ligament damage, for which the person needs to take an injection.

The doctor in order to treat your pain might use an ultrasound device so that the correct place to inject the injection could be identified. He can also apply corticosteroids to apply an electric current, that will allow the sterile to pass into muscle in the arch of the foot or heel.

The most effective way to reduce the pain of Plantar Fasciitis is to go for physical therapy. The therapist will tell the exercise to strengthen the muscle of the lower leg, which will help in balancing while walking.

In case the pain of the person is not getting relief from all these things, then the doctor might suggest extracorporeal shock wave therapy, which involves the bombarding by the sound waves to push the healing ligament.

The side effect of the treatment will include swelling, pain, numbness, and bruises

How to fix planter fasciitis

In case the patient is suffering from pain even after various ways, then another option to treat Plantar Fasciitis is surgery. This is done only when the case is severe and lasts for more than 6 to 12 months.

In this process, the surgeon partially removes the plantar fascia from the bone of the heel. It will definitely reduce the pain but will weaken the arch of the foot and the complete functioning might stop.

Surgery should be considered as the last option for treating your heel if other options fail to work. This is because it may lead to severe pain and can cause damage to the nerve.

How long does planter fasciitis last

The person suffering from this problem can also try the exercise for getting rid of the problem.

• One can practice stretches that can provide relief from the pain. Because it helps in losing the muscle and providing relief to the pain in the heel.
• The person suffering from Plantar Fasciitis should take a break from exercises like running and must opt for swimming and other activities, that will give time to get it to relax and hence will reduce the heel pain.
• It is suggested to do stretches in order to make your heel relax and lower the pain.

How to get rid of planter fasciitis – Home Remedies for Plantar Fasciitis

 In order to reduce the pain and inflammation in the heel treating the Plantar Fascia ligament. The home remedies for treating it includes as listed.

• The person can reduce the pain by applying the ice pack for around 10-15 minutes, for around three to four times a day. This will lead to a reduction in the swelling.
• The person can also change the exercise or activity, that they do regularly and are responsible for the heel pain.
• One can also go for the stretching exercise that relieves the pain of the heel.

Oils for Plantar Fasciitis

If the person wants to recover from the problem without going to the doctor, he/she might opt for the oils to reduce the pain of Plantar Fasciitis. The essential oils are a good option to get relief from the pain and inflammation caused by Plantar Fasciitis. These essential oils include-

• lavender essential oil
• rose essential oil
• eucalyptus oil
• lemongrass essential oil

It is suggested to use these oils by mixing it with coconut oil so that it becomes diluted. One can also inhale the essential oils through steam. Though the oils are not much beneficial in providing relief from the inflammatory caused by Plantar Fasciitis, if used properly might work for some, as there is no harm in using it to look for the results.

How to heal planter fasciitis quickly

If you want to avoid the problem of Plantar Fasciitis, then you can adopt a few things that will change your lifestyle. This change in lifestyle will help you in avoiding the problem to a larger extent.

• It is suggested to wear good shoes that can provide good support to the arch of your foot.
• It is also suggested to replace the shoes in a regular interval of time.
• In case you are a runner, then you use to replace your shoes once you have run 400 to 500 miles. This should be the limit of a pair of shoes you use.
• Try to go for exercise that does not always involve your foot to remain active.
• Work hard to maintain your weight, as an increase in weight will surely lead you to face the problem of Plantar Fasciitis. Because if you are overweight it might lead to wear and tear of the ligaments.

Recovering from the Plantar Fasciitis

Generally, people recover from the problem within a few months of home treatment, which includes stretching, resting, and icing. It is also suggested to make use of tape to stabilize your foot, as it will limit the movement of the ligament. For this, you can opt for zinc oxide tape or kinesiology tape. This might prove effective for treating the foot temporarily.

The majority of the people get relief from home remedies and don’t have to opt for any kind of surgery. Though treating it might range from a few months to 2 years.