If you have ever met with the problem of pain in the sole of the foot or felt soreness at the heel every time you stand or walk, it may be a signal of plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the fascia beneath the sole of the foot, which, if it does not receive suitable treatment, may make you unable to walk or do various activities normally. Therefore, in this article we will come to understand plantar fasciitis, both the causes that give rise to pain in the sole of the foot, the symptoms met often, and effective approaches to treatment.
What is plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis, or what is called in medical terms inflammation of the tendon of the sole of the foot (Plantar Fasciitis), is a state in which inflammation arises in the fascia beneath the sole of the foot. The fascia beneath the sole of the foot has the duty of connecting the heel with all the toes. The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is soreness and pain in the area of the heel, particularly when beginning to stand or walk in the morning after waking, which is the result of the fascia beneath the sole of the foot being stretched or pulled until inflammation arises.
The causes that give rise to plantar fasciitis
The causes that give rise to plantar fasciitis arise from using the foot heavily or repeatedly, such as standing or walking for a long time without stretching the muscles and the tendons of the sole of the foot enough, having an abnormal foot shape, such as a flat foot (Flat Foot) or a high arch (High Arch Foot), or they may arise from other factors, such as wearing unsuitable shoes, being overweight, or even playing sport heavily, which may create tightness in the fascia of the sole of the foot. Although the cause of plantar fasciitis arising is still not clearly certain, there are several factors that can trigger the inflammation of the fascia of the sole of the foot.
The approach to treating plantar fasciitis
Treating plantar fasciitis can be done by several methods, depending on the symptoms and the severity of the disease. For the most part the emphasis is on reducing the inflammation and restoring the fascia of the sole of the foot so that it comes back to being strong. The approaches to treatment can be divided into several methods as follows.
Treating plantar fasciitis with rehabilitation medicine
Treatment with rehabilitation medicine is one of the methods that helps relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis well, by using medical technology and equipment, such as the use of high-power laser (High Power Laser) or electromagnetic waves (Peripheral Magnetic Stimulator, PMS), in order to stimulate the circulation of blood and help relieve the inflammation in the fascia of the sole of the foot, together with Western acupuncture, or Western needling (Dry Needling), in the area of the calf that has tightness as well. Besides this, suitable physiotherapy methods can also be used, such as massage or stretching the muscles, particularly stretching the Achilles tendon and the fascia of the sole of the foot in the correct way.
The use of medicine to relieve the symptoms
In the case where the pain in the sole of the foot arises severely, the use of medicine to relieve the inflammation, such as the group of NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) such as ibuprofen (Ibuprofen) or Arcoxia (Arcoxia), can help reduce the soreness and the inflammation, but the use of medicine should follow the doctor's advice in order to avoid the side effects that may arise.
Relieving the symptoms with exercise
Exercise and stretching are important methods in treating plantar fasciitis. Stretching the Achilles tendon and the fascia of the sole of the foot will help reduce the pain and relieve the tightness of the tendon, helping increase the flexibility and the strength of the fascia beneath the sole of the foot. Besides this, a ball or a massage instrument can also be used in order to stimulate the circulation of blood in the area of the sole of the foot.
The groups at risk of plantar fasciitis arising easily
Plantar fasciitis is a disease that can arise in everyone, at every age, but some groups of people have a greater risk of the symptoms of plantar fasciitis arising than others
- Those who use the sole of the foot heavily: standing, walking, or running for long periods without stretching the tendons suitably will create stress and injury in the fascia of the sole of the foot
- Those who are overweight: when the body weight is greater, the sole of the foot has to bear more weight and more impact, which may cause the problem of inflammation of the fascia
- Older people: as one grows older, the flexibility of the fascia beneath the sole of the foot decreases, making inflammation arise easily
- Wearing unsuitable shoes: wearing shoes with a hard sole or without good absorption of impact may cause soreness in the sole of the foot
- An abnormal foot shape, such as a flat foot (Flat Foot) or a high arch (High Arch Foot): an abnormal foot shape makes the distribution of weight on the sole of the foot abnormal, which is one factor that makes a state of plantar fasciitis arise more easily
- Athletes: those who exercise or play sport heavily, such as running or jumping, usually have a high chance of plantar fasciitis arising, because the foot receives impact often
Sharing simple tips for preventing plantar fasciitis
Preventing plantar fasciitis is something that can be done easily and does not take much time. Simply adjusting the behaviour of using the feet and caring for the health of the feet better can help reduce the risk of plantar fasciitis arising effectively. One of the easiest methods is keeping up stretching the muscles and the tendons of the sole of the foot. Particularly, those who usually have to stand or bear weight on the feet for long periods should stretch the Achilles tendon and the fascia of the sole of the foot regularly, so that the tendon has flexibility and strength.
Besides this, wearing shoes suitable for the use is extremely important, particularly choosing to wear shoes that have a sole that absorbs impact well, such as running shoes or shoes designed for standing or walking for long periods, which will help reduce the impact on the sole of the foot and prevent the fascia beneath the sole of the foot from being stretched too far.
Another method that can prevent plantar fasciitis is avoiding standing or walking in unsuitable postures, such as standing or sitting in a posture that makes the distribution of pressure on the sole of the foot unbalanced. Besides this, using the feet too much should be avoided if it is not necessary, such as walking for long periods without resting, so that your feet can rest and restore themselves. Furthermore, keeping the body weight suitable also helps reduce the load of pressure that arises on the sole of the foot. If you can follow this advice regularly, it will help you stay far from plantar fasciitis and be able to do various activities without soreness in the feet.
In summary
Plantar fasciitis is a disease that can arise in everyone, with symptoms of pain in the sole of the foot and the heel often. If it is left, it may affect walking and daily living. Treating plantar fasciitis has diverse methods, beginning from the use of rehabilitation medicine techniques, the use of medicine, and exercise to stretch the tendons. Adjusting the behaviour of using the feet will help reduce the risk of plantar fasciitis arising in the long term.