When Should You See a Doctor for Plantar Fasciitis in St. Joseph, Kansas City, & Independence, MO
Your heel hurts day after day. Are you just getting old, or can something be done? At Pivotal Foot & Ankle Surgeons in St. Joseph, Kansas City, & Independence, MO, heel pain, or plantar fasciitis disappears with the expert help of your podiatrist. Don't wait. See them right away.
Sources of Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
You could have a stone bruise or plantar wart on the bottom of your foot. However, the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) says that typically, plantar fasciitis is the cause.
What is plantar fasciitis? It's an inflammatory condition related to overuse of your feet and to improper gait.
Affecting the connective tissue between your toes and heel bone, plantar fasciitis hurts most in the morning and lessens throughout the day. It re-appears after long periods of sitting or standing still in one spot.
Typical sufferers are middle-aged, overweight and/or engaging in an activity that flattens the arch of the foot repeatedly. The constant stress causes pain, swelling and redness, and sometimes, a heel spur shows on X-ray. Harvard Health says poorly supportive shoes and simply picking up a very heavy object can set off the inflammatory mechanism.
See Your Podiatrist
St. Joseph, Kansas City, & Independence, MO, area patients come to Pivotal Foot & Ankle Surgeons to see our medial professionals for their heel pain. The sooner they get a foot exam and X-rays, the sooner their treatment can begin.
For the most part, symptom management is conservative. Few people need surgery--less than five percent, reports the ACFAS. Treatment plans may include:
- Analgesics, such as ibuprofen
- Injections of corticosteroids to reduce swelling
- Custom-made shoe orthotics (inserts) to correct how you place your foot as you walk or run
- Rest from vigorous athletic activities such as volleyball and running
- Weight loss
- Physical therapy and/or splinting
- Stretching exercises for the calf muscles
You'll see improvement
Most heel pain patients progressively get better. However, you should avoid the things which stress your heels, arches and plantar fascia to continue functioning at your best.