Plantar Fasciitis | Heel Pain in Allentown

Understanding Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation of the band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that connects the heel bone to the toes and supports the arch of your foot. It is the most common cause of heel pain in children and adults.

Plantar fasciitis is very common in runners, people who are overweight or obese, pregnant women, and those who wear shoes with inadequate support.

It’s believed that plantar fasciitis, and its associated heel pain or arch pain, is caused by the degeneration of the plantar fascia tissue, beginning with small tears that occur during activity. Under normal circumstances, these tears repair themselves when resting and sleeping, which strengthens the tissue. But sometimes the continued tissue damage overwhelms the body’s capacity to heal, small tears continue to accumulate, and the tissue begins to degenerate. Heel pain is the response.

Watch: Doctor Al Peters, an amateur athlete and practicing physician, describes how Dr Teichman relieved his severe heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis

• Pain on the bottom of the heel or arch
• Pain upon awakening, decreasing with activity
• Pain after a long period of standing
• Pain that increases over a period of months

Causes of plantar fasciitis

• Age – plantar fasciitis is most common in middle age
• Overuse – playing sports, running, dancing, walking, or standing for long periods, especially on hard surfaces
• Having flat feet or overly high arches
• Excessive pronation – your feet roll inward too much when walking
• Being overweight or obese
• Occupations that keep you on your feet
• Shoes that don’t fit well, are worn-out, or don’t provide proper arch support
• Wearing high heels too often may cause your Achilles tendon to shorten, putting strain on the plantar fascia

Treatment of plantar fasciitis

Your podiatrist at PA Foot and Ankle Associates may recommend one or more of the following treatments to manage your plantar fasciitis pain:

• Rest
• Ice
• Stretching exercises
• Physical therapy
• Weight loss
• Replacement of worn out shoes
• Shoe modifications
• Over the counter pain medications
• Immobilization
• Custom orthotics worn in shoes
• Night splint
• Steroid injections
• Padding and strapping
• Surgery when non-invasive treatments fail to relieve pain

Dr Teichman of PA Foot and Ankle Associates, describes how plantar fasciitis causes heel pain in this 2-minute video.