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Plantar fasciitis develops when the tough connective tissue on the bottom of your foot suffers overuse and becomes inflamed. Christos Kyrou, DPM, Kamal Farha, DPM, and their team at Kyrou Podiatry Associates offer expert plantar fasciitis treatment at their offices in Wappingers Falls, Carmel, Poughkeepsie, Mahopac, and Pawling, New York. In many cases, they reduce your heel pain using noninvasive bracing and custom-fitted orthotics (shoe inserts). Call your nearest Kyrou Podiatry Associates office or request an appointment online today for fast relief of plantar fasciitis pain.
Plantar Fasciitis Q & A
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis, a leading cause of heel pain, is caused by inflammation in the thick tissue band (plantar fascia) along the sole of your foot. The plantar fascia stretches when you move, absorbing pressure and supporting the arch.
Frequent strain can cause tiny tears in the plantar fascia that build up over time, causing plantar fasciitis. The heel feels tender, often causing stabbing or throbbing pain. This pain is usually sharpest when you first get out of bed, then reduces to a dull ache as you move.
Plantar fasciitis pain often returns after prolonged physical activity or when you first stand after sitting for a long time.
Why would I get plantar fasciitis?
Things that increase your risk of excessive plantar fascia strain include:
- Overpronation (inward rolling feet)
- Flatfoot
- High arches
- Shoes with no arch support
- Excessive body weight
- Frequent running
- Standing for long periods
- Pregnancy
You can develop plantar fasciitis at any age, but it’s more common from 40-60.
Your Kyrou Podiatry Associates provider diagnoses plantar fasciitis after hearing about your symptoms, reviewing your medical history, and completing a physical exam.
They press on your foot and heel to determine the pain’s source, which is often enough for a plantar fasciitis diagnosis. Your doctor might want to check the heel’s inner structures using X-rays or a CT scan.
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
Conservative plantar fasciitis treatments include:
- Resting and icing your heel
- Changing your footwear
- Taking anti-inflammatory medication
- Wearing night splints or bracing
- Using custom-fitted orthotics (supportive shoe inserts)
- Undergoing physical therapy
- Doing stretching exercises
The Kyrou Podiatry Associates team finds that combining orthotics and bracing results in a quick recovery and a low recurrence rate for most patients. Orthotics and bracing take pressure off the inflamed heel and cushion the tender tissues, giving them a chance to heal.
If these treatments don’t relieve plantar fasciitis, your foot doctor can inject a corticosteroid (a potent anti-inflammatory medication) into the inflamed heel tissue.
Your podiatrist can do plantar release surgery if nothing else works. This involves cutting a tight plantar fascia to reduce strain and relieve pain.
Call Kyrou Podiatry Associates or request an appointment online today to find fast relief from plantar fasciitis heel pain.