Plantar Fasciitis in Spring

Spending a long time walking, hiking or running might lead to having sore feet. Springtime is known for longer time outside, making it the season for plantar fasciitis (heel pain). When people walk outside, they usually do it on hard concrete. Plantar fasciitis is basically an inflammation of the plantar fascia – this is the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of our feet and connects our heel bone to our toes.

Causes

This condition develops when you suddenly overuse your feet for activities such as walking, running or hiking (especially uphill). This also may happen when you do not stretch your feet after doing your routine exercise. Other activities such as jumping or landing on your feet can also cause trauma to the plantar fascia. A sudden gain in weight might also cause plantar fasciitis. A quick and excessive weight gain does not allow the body to adjust to the extra load that it should now carry, causing the pain to develop.

Symptoms

When this condition develops, the person will feel a sharp pain near the back of the foot where the arch meets the bottom of the heel. If you feel numbness or a tingling sensation, or if you feel the pain in your ankle or Achilles’ heel, then it is not plantar fasciitis.

Treatments

If you are experiencing this foot condition, it best to take a short rest from exercise and stretch more. If you do not do this, plantar fasciitis will just likely return. After a long night’s sleep, it is best to stretch first thing in the morning and do this before actually standing up from the bed. You might want to use a golf ball and keep it by the end of your end. You may use the golf ball to roll the arch of your sore foot. A frozen plastic water bottle can also be used during the day.

If none of the natural treatments relieve the pain, it is best to consult Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM. He is a podiatrist who is an expertise in handling plantar fasciitis. Other available treatment options are insoles or anti-inflammatory medications that only professionals like Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM can prescribe.

For your plantar fasciitis concerns, or other foot conditions, don’t hesitate to call Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM. Simple foot problems might be easy to ignore, but don’t let these minor conditions turn into something more complex in the future.