Anyone who has suffered from plantar fascitis knows what I’m talking about.  When you open your eyes in the morning, you know those first few steps are going to be killer.  Or anytime you sit for a length of time and get up.  Once on your feet for a few minutes, the pain lessens and it’s not so bad.  But the longer you’re on your feet, the more tired and achy they become.

This is the classic plantar fascitis story.  People try different shoes; inserts and gadgets to help before they break down and go get checked out.  Many times the pain isn’t even in the bottom of the foot.  It can be in the heel, behind the toes, on the sides of the heel or in the Achilles tendon area.  Your foot is going to compensate and do the best it can. 

So what causes plantar fascitis and how is it treated effectively?

There are many factors that contribute to plantar fascitis.  The first, thing is bad shoes.  Second is being overweight.  Third is the amount of time you spend on your feet and finally what you do to help yourself early in the process. 

Bad shoes cause more plantar fascitis than any other cause.  No arch support or cushion will make the long arch between your heel and the base of your toes stretch and become irritated over time.  This makes the muscles in your foot and calf work much harder.  This can lead to plantar fascitis. 

Obesity leads to plantar fascitis by putting extra pressure put on foot’s ligaments and tendons over time.  Every pound of weight puts four pounds of pressure on your feet when you walk.  So keep your weight in check and the stress you put on your arches with each step is decreased.

The amount of time you spend on your feet is the third part of the plantar fascitis puzzle.  Most of us don’t have a choice about how much time we spend on our feet.  But we do have a choice about how well we treat our feet.  Can you remember the last time you researched what kind of shoes to buy before you purchased them?  Do you look for fashion or for function?  Do you wait until your shoes are overly worn out before you buy a new pair?  These are the questions you must ask yourself.

So how do you treat plantar fascitis and then keep it from coming back?

The standard medical treatment is ant-inflammatorys and orthotics.  If this doesn’t work, then a steroid shot and different types of appliances are used to get the inflammation under control.  Special slings or boots are often used to help, but this is a very passive approach that doesn’t address the underlying problem.

A complete approach to plantar fascitis would also include working on the plantar fascitis with physical therapy and using specific soft tissue techniques to make your soft tissue better and more flexible.  This creates long-term benefits and rebuilds your soft tissues.  This will give you long-term relief and allow you to get your life back.