What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain in the heel of the foot. The plantar fascia is a sturdy band of connective tissue that stretches from heel to toe and forms the arch of your foot.
Plantar fasciitis results from overuse and too much stretching of the plantar fascia, which causes swelling. The swelling in turn causes inflammation and pain when you walk. Plantar fasciitis can also be caused when the tissue that makes up the plantar fascia tears. The condition typically affects runners and people who have flat feet, high arches, are overweight, or are on their feet a lot.
The sharp pain of plantar fasciitis is particularly noticeable when you first start to walk in the morning. The pain may ease as you walk around, but anytime you've been off your feet for a while, the stabbing pain can return.
Difference between a heel spur and plantar fasciitis
Many people have spurs, an extra growth of bone. They most typically occur at joints where bones meet. For most people, heel spurs don't cause pain. Because they are made of bone, heel spurs can be readily seen on X-rays. X-rays can help rule out a spur as the cause of your heel pain. Your doctor will ususally try to reproduce the pain you feel with plantar fasciitis to make a diagnosis.
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment at Home
Plantar fasciitis is typically easy to manage with home treatment and over-the-counter medicines. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy or, rarely, surgery.
Most of the time, one or more of the remedies listed below can relieve your symptoms of plantar fasciitis. It may take 6-12 months for your foot to get back to normal, but doing these things at home can help ease the pain and help your foot heal faster:
Rest
It's important to avoid putting weight on your foot until the inflammation goes down.
Ice
This is an easy way to treat inflammation, and there are a few ways you can use it. To make an ice pack, wrap a towel around a plastic bag filled with crushed ice or around a package of frozen corn or peas. Put it on your heel three to four times a day for 15-20 minutes at a time. Or you can fill a shallow pan with water and ice and soak your heel in it for 10-15 minutes a few times a day. Be sure to keep your toes out of the water.
Another option is to fill a small paper or foam cup with water and freeze it. Then rub it over your heel for 5-10 minutes or until your heel is numb.
Pain relievers
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can make your foot feel better and help with inflammation.
Athletic tape
It can support your foot and keep you from moving it in a way that makes plantar fasciitis worse.
Shoe inserts
Also called insoles, arch supports, or orthotics, they can give you extra cushion and support. You can get them over the counter (OTC) or have them custom-made. Mostly, your results will be just as good and cheaper with OTC inserts. While choosing, go for firmer inserts with good arch support.
You might also see advertisements for magnetic insoles to help with plantar fasciitis. Research has generally shown these don't work.
Heel cups
With each step you take, your heel pounds the ground and puts tension on your plantar fascia. These heel-shaped pads that go in your shoes may help. They raise your heel to relieve tension and give you extra cushion. They often don't work as well as inserts, but they're a cheap option to try.
Night splints
Most of us sleep with our feet pointed down, which shortens the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. Night splints, which you wear while you sleep, keep your feet at a 90-degree angle. So, instead of shortening your plantar fascia, you get a good, constant stretch while you sleep. They can be bulky, but they tend to work really well. And once the pain is gone, you can stop wearing them.
Walking cast or boot
Typically, your doctor would suggest a walking cast or boot -- called a controlled ankle motion (CAM) walker -- only when other treatments have failed. The cast or CAM walker forces you to rest your foot, which can help relieve pain. But it's not a cure. When the cast comes off, the pain may return. That means you'll need other treatments too, such as insoles and stretching.
How to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis
Once your foot feels better, you can make a few lifestyle changes to help keep plantar fasciitis from coming back. These include:
Doing stretches and exercises. Stretch your calves, Achilles tendon, and the bottom of your foot. Do exercises that make your hips, lower leg, and foot muscles stronger. This can help stabilize your ankle, ease pain, and keep plantar fasciitis from coming back.
Losing weight. If you're overweight or obese, you may put more pressure on the bottom of your feet. That pressure can lead to plantar fasciitis.
Choosing shoes with good support. Replace your athletic shoes often. Stay away from high heels.
Don't go barefoot on hard surfaces. This includes your first few steps when you get up in the morning. It's common to feel plantar fasciitis then. So, you'll want to keep some supportive footwear by your bed.
You may also want to ask your doctor if it would help to wear inserts in your shoes.
Doing low-impact exercises. Activities such as swimming or cycling won't cause plantar fasciitis or make it worse. After you're done, stretch out your calves and feet. For instance, curl and relax your toes and make circles with your feet and ankles.
Avoiding high-impact activities. These include running and jumping, which put a lot of stress on your feet and can make your calf muscles tighter if you don't stretch them out.
Staying the course with your leg and foot stretches. Two of these include:
- Stretch your calves. Stand facing a wall. Put your hands on the wall. Step one foot behind the other, keeping both feet parallel to each other. Gently lean toward the wall, keeping your back heel on the ground. Hold for 10 seconds, and then switch feet. Repeat several times on each side.
- Stretch the bottom of your foot. Sit down and cross one foot over your other leg. Hold your toes and gently bend them backward.
Untucking your bedsheets. If your sheets are tucked too tightly and you sleep on your back, your feet will be in a pointed position while you sleep. This position shortens the plantar fascia, which needs to stay stretched while you sleep to avoid pain.
Plantar Fasciitis Recovery Time
For about 75% of people, plantar fasciitis may resolve without treatment in about a year. You should notice a gradual improvement in your symptoms as soon as you start treatment. However, it can take weeks or months for your plantar fasciitis to heal. About 5% of people with plantar fasciitis may need surgery to heal it. If your symptoms come back, return to the treatments that worked for you. See your doctor if your symptoms seem worse or appear different.
When to Contact Your Doctor
If at-home treatments aren't working for you, it may be something other than plantar fasciitis causing your heel pain. See your doctor to find out the cause. They may recommend physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery.
Takeaways
Plantar fasciitis is caused when thick connective tissue at the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed or tears, leading to arch and heel pain. The pain of plantar fasciitis is most severe after a period of inactivity, such as sitting down or sleeping. Plantar fasciitis can be triggered by exercising without sufficient warm-up, more walking or running than usual, shoes that offer poor support, going barefoot for long periods on hard surfaces, or weight gain. For the majority of people, plantar fasciitis can be treated at home with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Others may need physical therapy or steroid injections to treat their foot.
Plantar Fasciitis FAQs
How do I cure my plantar fasciitis?
To treat plantar fasciitis yourself, do stretching exercises for the plantar fascia several times a day, ice your foot, take NSAIDs, rest your foot, wear orthotics to support your heel and arch, and decrease the amount or length of activities that cause you pain such as walking or running. Try to switch to non-weight-bearing exercise while your foot heals.
Is it OK to keep walking with plantar fasciitis?
Yes, but to ease pain, make sure you walk in supportive shoes with some cushioning. Don't wear worn-out sneakers or athletic shoes. Limit how long and how far you walk if your pain gets worse. If your plantar fasciitis pain is severe, your doctor may recommend a walking boot to keep your full weight off your foot.
How long does it take plantar fasciitis to go away?
It's important to treat plantar fasciitis promptly. The longer you have symptoms, the more time it takes to recover. It takes most people a couple of months to heal with regular stretching, icing, and avoiding activities that cause heel pain.
What makes plantar fasciitis worse?
Certain conditions you can and can't control can trigger plantar fasciitis. They include:
- Your age. The condition is most common in people aged 40-60.
- Being overweight. Extra pounds put more stress on the plantar fascia.
- Your job. People who spend lots of time on their feet at work or on hard surfaces are prone to plantar fasciitis.
- Certain activities. Ballet, long-distance running, and aerobics can all contribute.
- Your foot's form. Flat feet, high arches, and walking or standing unevenly can provoke plantar fasciitis.
