Treatments
Plantar Faciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a very painful condition where your heel may hurt, feel hot or swell. The pain is a result of inflammation or microscopic tears of the plantar fascia. The fascia is a thin layer of tough tissue supporting the arch of the foot.
Sometimes people refer to plantar fasciitis as “heel spurs,” but this is not generally accurate, since the heel spurs are a result of plantar fasciitis. Heel spurs are a calcification which forms due to the damage to the fascia.
Often when you have plantar fasciitis, the pain is at its most intense when you first get out of bed. Sometimes it is noticeable at the beginning of an activity and then gets better as the body warms up. Prolonged standing may cause pain, as well.
Severe plantar fasciitis pain can cause loss of time from work and
may lead to partial or total disability. Common surgical procedures used for the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis may also lead to permanent disability.
The effects of ESWT are best documented in areas of changes in tissue density, such as those where a tendon attaches to a bone (enthesiopathies) and where a bone attaches to a ligament (desmopathies). For this reason, it is very effective for painful connective tissue in the heels. Additionally, ESWT gives new hope by relieving pain, eliminating the risk factors associated with surgery and allowing people to resume their normal lives.
You may have plantar fasciitis if you experience:
- Foot pain that is very intense in the morning
- Foot pain that gets sore after sitting
- Foot pain that keeps you from doing the things you love
- Burning in the sole of the foot near the heel
- Tired, achy feet
- Heel spurs
- Heel pain after starting a new running, walking or
exercise routine
- Pain when you press the site where the fascia meets the
heel bone
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