How to treat this common, painful condition

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, the area between the heel and just below the toes.
It is very common among athletes, even young people under the age of 35. Other than in athletes, it is more frequent in people over 45.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the sole of the foot. Both the middle of the sole and the heel may hurt. It occurs when the person gets out of bed, because the fascia shortens and becomes rigid during the night. Sufferers may have less pain after taking a few steps. The area may also become slightly swollen and red.

What is the treatment?

Once the problem has been diagnosed, your doctor will prescribe a combination of anti-inflammatory medication and physiotherapy to reduce the inflammation of the fascia.

Sometimes it is necessary to make a special insole (orthotics) to lessen the pressure on the fascia, which allows sufferers to resume their activities with less danger of relapse. Surgery is only recommended in persistent and serious cases.

Once the acute phase is over, it is important to adopt good habits such as stretching and warming up before doing sport again.

Follow our recommendations to prevent plantar fasciitis from recurring:

• Ask a specialist about the best types of shoes to wear in your specific case: If you are a pronator, supinator or have very flat feet or very high arches.
• Replace your training shoes frequently if you wear out a certain part of the sole. This will protect the bottom of your feet at moments when they are under pressure.
• Be careful with sandals and flip-flops that do not support the foot. Avoid walking barefoot on uneven surfaces and wearing too-high heels.
• Choose low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling and yoga.
• Stretch the calves and warm up the Achilles tendon and ligaments of the feet before you start walking or exercising.
• Alternate shoes with heels with lower shoes so as not to strain the fascia.

Ask your doctor if the area is painful and follow all his or her advice to recover as quickly as possible.

This post is also available in: Spanish