Do you have pain under the heel that is worse in the morning and gets a bit better after you have taken a few steps?
If you do then there is a very high probability that you have plantar fasciitis and that pain is called ‘post static dyskinesia‘. While there are many other causes of heel pain and some other causes that can cause that post static dyskinesia, plantar fasciitis is by far the most common cause of the first step pain in the morning or after prolonged rest. As with all types of problems, getting the diagnosis correct before time, energy and money is spent on a treatment is important.
Plantar fasciitis is the most common musculoskeletal problem that we see at Croydon Total Footcare and it can range from a minor annoyance all the way to quite a severe disability that is so painful that doing things like going to work is difficult.
The plantar fascia is a very strong ligament like structure on the bottom of the foot that is a flat sheet connecting the heel bone to the toes, so its primary function is to support the arch of the foot. Anything that puts too much strain on that plantar fascia, such as being overweight or having high sports activity levels or being on your feet all day on hard concrete floors, can increase the risk for getting it.
Our approach to plantar fasciitis is to get the diagnosis right first and make sure that it is actually plantar fasciitis that we are dealing with. Then there some advice re the initial pain relief with the use of education, ice and maybe strapping to settle it down. Then the longer term strategy is needed. This might involve foot orthotics to prevent the load in the plantar fascia and an exercise or loading program to make the plantar fascia stronger so it can take the loads. Each approach is likely to be different between individuals and that is a discussion that you need to have with one of our podiatrists.
