What is plantar fasciitis?

I have just returned from two AMAZING weeks in Hawaii. Now for those of you who know me you will be highly aware that I am not very good at lounging around doing nothing. So yes while I did soak up alot of sun,  my days were also packed full of exploring, walking, running up dormant craters and bike riding.

This proved difficult when halfway through our adventure my travelling partner developed acute foot pain or plantar fasciitis. Most probably the result of too much walking in bad footwear (ie thongs).  Lucky for him travelling with a physio can be handy and we were able to get it under control pretty quickly!

Plantar Fasciitis is a problem I deal with regularly and is commonly seen as an overuse injury in runners. As an acute injury (as was the case for us) this is quite straightforward to manage BUT as a chronic problem which is usually how we see it it can prove an extremely stubborn problem to treat, taking weeks to even months to get under control.

What is plantar fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue spanning across the sole of the foot from  the base of the heel bone (calcaneus) to the udnersurface of each of your toes. Its job is basically to support your arch. Inflammation or irritation of this fascia at its attachment to the heel bone is termed plantar fasciitis. In many cases of plantar fasciitis there is often the prescense of a heel spur (small bondy growth on the calcaneus). The heel spur usually doesn’t actually cause pain and can be found in an asymptomatic foot.

Patients will normally complain of pain directly under the heel that can in cases extend into the arch of the foot. Pain is often worse with the first few steps of a morning, and is aggravated by long periods of weight bearing.

What to do?

Seek some sort of medical advice as early as possible. The earlier you start to manage plantar fasiitis the easier your road to recovery.

Treatment will include massage/soft tissue releases to the tight surrunding muscles such as your calf. Local treatment to the most painful tender spot (usually directly below the heel) to help with reducing inflammation, advice regarding footwear and you may be given certain exercises or stretches to do at home.

There are certain factors that can predispose individuals to developing this problem, for example flat or pronated feet, tight calves, poor pelvic stability etc etc. These will all be important things your physiotherapist should address to ensure you make a full recovery.

If you are suffering from symptoms such as those mentioned above and you would like to make an appointment with one of our physiotherapists contact us on (02) 9328 3822

You do not need a referral to see a physiotherapist!