Plantar Fasciitis – the symptoms and best treatments
As many as one in ten people in Britain are thought to be affected by a condition which causes pain in the feet known as plantar fasciitis with many of the sufferers unaware that they have a problem.
Plantar fasciitis (PF) happens when either long term damage or a sudden incident causes the tissue underneath the sole of the foot, the plantar fascia, to thicken and cause pain.
Factors that can lead to the development of this condition include being overweight and spending a lot of time being active. The condition is sometimes known as “policeman’s heel”, and runners are particularly prone to it as are the over 40s. It is also though that wearing unsuitable footwear can lead to a user develop the condition. Many sufferers find that the problem is worse in the morning and after long periods of activity.
If someone develops the plantar fasciitis there are a number of treatments available to help the affected area and manage the pain. To deal with the sudden pain that PF often brings, using ice packs or taking pain killing medication is many sufferers first point of call. Your doctor will also recommend you a programme of stretching and gentle exercises which are often the key to healing the problem.
Sufferers should be wearing good supportive shoes as well as arch support devices, which are available from sites such as PhysioRoom.com. Some women find that wearing high heeled shoes brings temporary relief, but this is not recommended as a long term fix.
If after a year there has been no improvement, your GP may recommend surgery. This is usually the last resort and the NHS says only 1 in 20 patients with PF undergo any sort of surgical procedure as using the other treatments will often help the heel to repair itself.