What is plantar fasciitis?

Waking up with aching and painful feet is the reality for many who have plantar fasciitis. This common foot condition that affects millions of people. Pain from plantar fasciitis is often worse in the mornings when you take your first steps out of bed, which can make preparing for the day ahead challenging – and that is just the beginning.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the bowstring shaped band of tissue — the plantar fascia — that connects your heel bone to your toes. It is a supportive tissue that absorbs shock when you walk, however, too much stress and tension on the plantar fascia can cause small tears to develop, which causes irritation and inflammation. As a result, you experience intense stabbing, burning, or aching pain that is centralized to the heel of the foot but can spread to other regions quickly.

The pain from plantar fasciitis is described as feeling like a bruise in the bottom of the foot that is worse in the mornings. The pain may also be sharp and stabbing during the first few steps and gradually become less painful within a few minutes. For some, the pain goes away after walking around but returns at the end of the day. Movement usually relieves pain from plantar fasciitis but triggers the symptoms after spending a long period of standing or sitting.

Causes

Plantar fasciitis caused by too much pressure on the plantar fascia is common in people who run or spend a lot of time on their feet. Being overweight is also a risk factor, due to excessive weight adding pressure on the feet. Another risk factor is a faulty structure of the foot, such as too high arches or flat feet. Other causes of plantar fasciitis include wearing unsupportive shoes that strain the plantar fascia, such as high heeled shoes or flip flops.

Why You Need Treatment

Treating plantar fasciitis can prevent chronic pain and complications, such as the development of bony spurs as well as hip, knee, and back pain. Early treatment is often simpler than treating plantar fasciitis and heel spurs, and it responds well to conservative treatments such as non-steroidal pain medication, physical therapy, orthotics, and night splints. One reason why your feet will hurt from this condition is that the plantar fascia muscle tightens up at night. When you take your first few steps in the morning, it causes the tight muscle to stretch, resulting in pain. Night splints and physical therapy can help tremendously with this problem.

Orthopaedic Doctor in Catonsville and Columbia, MD

The orthopaedic surgeons at Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland (OACM) will promptly diagnose your foot pain, so you can begin treatment immediately. Our goal is to provide you immediate relief from pain, so that you can start your morning off right and conquer the day. Our orthopaedic doctors are consistently voted top doctors in Baltimore. You can be assured that only the best and highly-skilled professionals are treating you.

For superior foot and ankle care in Maryland, call our clinic at (410) 644-1880 to schedule an appointment or use our convenient online form. Our friendly staff looks forward to serve you in our Catonsville, Columbia, or Eldersburg location.