Is there a dull, annoying pain in your heel that seems to be getting worse, or a sharp pain in your arch that’s stopping your stride? Your foot pain can be caused by any number of things, but it could be plantar fasciitis – a common foot condition that’s one of the main causes of heel pain in adults.
Below, we’ll cover what plantar fasciitis is, symptoms that you may experience, and common causes. We’ll also go over how it’s diagnosed, and when it’s time to see a podiatrist to address your foot pain if at-home methods haven’t helped.
Plantar fasciitis is a strained ligament in your foot
In your feet, there are many ligaments, which are bands of tissue that connect the bones in your feet. One of the main ligaments is called the plantar fascia, which is the ligament that connects your heel to your toes and helps support the arch of your foot.
Due to any number of reasons, your plantar fascia can become inflamed, causing pain in your heel and occasionally the arch of your foot. This is called plantar fasciitis. It doesn’t look like anything on the outside, but if you have it, you can definitely feel it inside of your foot.
What plantar fasciitis can feel like and symptoms it can cause
Everyone experiences plantar fasciitis a little differently, but the most common symptom that people experience is a feeling of stiffness and a dull to sharp, stabbing pain in the bottom of the heel. Other types of plantar fasciitis pain that people have experienced are often described as:
- An aching or burning that extends from the heel through the bottom of the foot.
- Pain and stiffness in the morning, especially when you take your first steps after getting out of bed, or if you’ve been sitting or lying down for a prolonged period of time.
- Pain that may become more intense as the day goes on, particularly if you’ve been standing or walking a lot, especially on hard surfaces.
If you’re feeling a stabbing pain above your heel or back of your ankle, it’s more likely that an injury or a heel condition like Achilles tendonitis is to blame. And since there are so many foot conditions that can cause you pain, it’s important to pinpoint the exact location of your pain so you’re able to get an accurate diagnosis of what’s causing it and get your feet back to feeling normal.
Common causes and risk factors for plantar fasciitis
When there’s strain placed on the plantar fascia ligament, it can become weak, swollen and inflamed, which can lead to heel and arch pain. Repeated strain on the plantar fascia can cause tiny tears in the ligament too.
But what exactly causes that ligament strain? Often, it’s caused by repetitive motion or anything that puts a lot of pressure on the arch of your foot. So activities like running, jogging and walking, or consistent long periods of standing or being on your feet, can lead to plantar fasciitis.
While anyone can get plantar fasciitis from regular, daily activity, there are risk factors that increase your chances of getting it:
- Weight – Being overweight increases the chances of developing it, due to extra weight putting strain on the ligaments in the feet.
- Age – Plantar fasciitis most commonly develops in people between the ages of 40 and 60, due to aging ligaments that break down and lose elasticity over time.
- Pregnancy – The necessary weight gain in pregnancy can put atypical strain on the plantar fascia.
- Frequent runners – About 1 in 10 serious runners get plantar fasciitis, due to the extra wear and tear on their feet.
- Jobs and activities that keep you on your feet – When you’re walking or standing for long periods of time, especially on hard surfaces, your feet are under constant pressure.
- Mechanics of the feet – If you walk on the inside of your feet, or have flat feet, a tight Achilles tendon, or a high arch, it can affect the way you walk, which puts extra pressure on the plantar fascia.
- Wearing shoes that don’t fit properly – If your shoes don’t fit you well, don’t offer adequate arch support or are worn out, your chances of developing plantar fasciitis can increase.
Some risk factors, like your age and the way you walk, can’t be changed. But other risk factors can be avoided easily with simple fixes like wearing properly fitting shoes, losing a few pounds and giving your feet plenty of time to rest.
How plantar fasciitis is diagnosed
Plantar fasciitis can be officially diagnosed by a podiatrist, a doctor who specializes in foot and ankle conditions. To confirm a diagnosis, your podiatrist will do a physical examination of your foot and ask you to stand and walk around, so they can see if the way you walk is causing your pain. They’ll also ask you about things like:
- Your symptoms, including what seems to worsen or improve them
- Your health history, including past injuries to your feet
- Where and when the pain hurts the most
- Your level of exercise and activity
Usually, X-rays or MRIs aren’t necessary since plantar fasciitis is ligament inflammation, rather than a bone injury. But depending on your symptoms, your podiatrist may recommend one if they think you may have a plantar bone spur, stress fracture or another issue.
Plantar fasciitis treatment can start at home with rest
The good news is there are effective at-home treatments for plantar fasciitis and simple foot exercises to relieve pain.
Since plantar fasciitis is caused by repetitive motion and pressure, you need to lighten the load for your feet to give your ligament time to heal. So the first recommended treatment is to rest your feet as much as possible, and cut back on or modify activities that make your foot hurt.
Other treatments include investing in more supportive footwear and orthotics, not walking around barefoot, wearing night splints, hot and cold therapy, and targeted exercises to strengthen your plantar fascia. And if it comes to seeing a podiatrist, they may recommend cortisone injections and possibly surgery.
How long does plantar fasciitis last?
Plantar fasciitis can typically take anywhere from 3-12 months to get better. But how fast you heal depends on your level of activity, how consistently you’re using at-home treatments and if you’re giving your feet plenty of time to rest.
But again, if you’re not feeling relief, don’t wait to get care. Make an appointment with a podiatrist. They’ll be able to rule out other possible injuries and suggest additional treatments or techniques that can speed up your recovery.
Contact a podiatrist to heal your heel even faster
If you think you have plantar fasciitis, start by giving your feet some rest by taking it easy, wearing supportive shoes both inside and outside the house, and staying consistent with your care routine. This will help things heal on their own.
If you’ve been consistently using home remedies for a couple of months, and you’re not seeing an improvement in pain or it’s worsening, or you’re concerned about another injury, schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified podiatrists. They can diagnose the problem and create a personalized treatment plan to put the spring back in your step.
