Things you need to know about plantar fasciitis

Things you need to know about plantar fasciitis

When it comes to plantar fasciitis, even the toughest athletes will "scower in the wind". Not only does the name sound scary, but the number of people who suffer from painful heel pain can also stop you from moving forward. In the field of running and endurance sports, plantar fasciitis is the main and common topic of discussion. But less discussed is that a large number of ordinary non-athletes also suffer from the disease. Let's look at the facts, dispel myths and learn about some treatment options, including the best insoles for plantar fasciitis.

What is plantar fasciitis?

Heel pain can be attributed to many different conditions caused by a variety of factors and requires a range of treatments. We focused only on plantar fasciitis, a severe but treatable pain that usually occurs at the bottom of the heel where the calcaneus meets the plantar fascial tissue. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation caused by excessive stretching of the plantar tissue. This extensive connecting structure is called plantar fascia and is like a large rubber band that connects your heel bone to your toes. This is the last line of support when your feet touch the ground. When walking barefoot on a soft surface, the plantar fascia can easily withstand the force of pushing down. However, hours of work or running on hard surfaces, especially in flat shoes, can put excessive pressure on the plantar fascia and cause extreme pain in the back of the foot where fascial tissue meets the heel bone. When walking, running, and standing for long periods of time, unstable feet can cause additional stress on the plantar fascia. This is the most common cause of "heel pain", although the heel is not the only area where the plantar fascia is inflamed.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fascia plays a vital role in helping your foot transition to the progressive phase of the gait cycle. Just like shock absorbers on cars, the foot has two main movements: the compression phase, called pronation, and the propulsion phase, called supination. Trouble comes when the foot is turned inward longer than it should. Like shock absorbers that are already fully compressed (or close to compressed) when impacted, shock absorbers bottom out and bounce off the ride comfort. When one foot is internally pronated for long periods of time, it may affect the way it absorbs impact and can make standing, walking, or running less comfortable, especially wearing flat, unsupported shoes on hard surfaces. Changes in the force exerted on the plantar fascia may trigger plantar fasciitis. For example, if you add miles to your daily run or change course to run more downhill – your feet are subjected to more force due to gravity. If you walk to work and suddenly find that your commute has become longer, or your work requires heavy lifting, your feet will inevitably be put under more stress.

Not only the strength of the foot muscles, but also the strength of the muscles of the entire lower body can also be a factor in the development of plantar fasciitis. If the muscles in your feet are weak, the plantar fascia tightens the loose part to keep you supported. The muscles of the legs and even the hips are also important for stability and help absorb some of the force as you move. Your feet may be affected by weakness or fatigue in your legs. On the other hand, well-supported feet can help strengthen and stabilize the complex system of bones, ligaments, and muscles that work together above and below your ankles to make you feel your best.

Who can develop plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fascial tissue loses elasticity over time for a variety of reasons, including physical activity, prolonged standing, and high pressure or pressure on the heels. Runners, overweight, and people with inadequate footwear support are most likely to develop plantar fasciitis. Athletes who participate in long, high-intensity workouts are naturally prone to plantar fasciitis. Running an ultramarathon on rough terrain, skiing on slopes or going all out on the 400-meter hurdles can all add significantly more strain to your feet. But there are many scenes in daily life that can also put pressure on the plantar fascia. For example, working in a job that requires standing for most of the day, or walking long commutes in flat shoes or high heels. In shoes with good arch support, especially when combined with orthopedic insoles for plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia has a cushioning structure that allows the tissue to maintain its natural shape regardless of how hard the ground is, instead of stretching and straining to maintain stability.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis

Symptoms include severe pain and inflammation in the soles of the feet, especially near the heels. When you get up for the first time, or after a day on your feet, you're likely to feel it – especially when you're standing on a hard surface for a long time. If your pain is relatively new, walking and exercising your foot muscles may temporarily relieve the pain. Plantar fasciitis discomfort usually flares up in the morning because the plantar fascial tissue on the soles of your feet tightens and contracts while you sleep. Unless you're prone to sleepwalking or kicking off the covers, your feet will rest overnight, giving the plantar fascia time to go into a state that isn't too long. The first step in waking up in the morning is to stretch the "rubber band" that can trigger pain. Even after only sitting for an hour or two, the same thing will happen. The most severe soreness seems to have subsided, but once you get up again, it will come back. As the inflammation worsens, the pain becomes more and more persistent throughout the day. Not only running and walking, but even just standing can be unbearable.  It's important to make sure that the pain in your feet is actually plantar fasciitis and not other causes that may feel similar but actually require different treatments. A common source of discomfort in that area of the foot is bruising from the fat pads that protect the heel bone and cushion each step. This is usually caused by stepping on something sharp or hard and can be solved by giving the heel extra cushion and resting as much as possible. Once the bruise has time to heal, you'll be painless! If only plantar fasciitis was so easy. Sometimes, tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons that connect muscles and bones) in the heel area can be confused with plantar fasciitis. If the pain originates in the dorsum near the Achilles tendon or in the inferior medial area near the arch, the pain is likely to affect the tendon rather than the plantar fascia. If you feel a tingling sensation at the junction of the plantar calcaneus and the arch tissue, plantar fasciitis is likely.

How to treat plantar fasciitis pain

The most obvious (if not always feasible) way to help relieve plantar fasciitis pain immediately is to reduce the load on the foot and thus the pressure on the plantar fascia, such as changing daily running to cycling every day, or taking a bus instead of walking to work whenever possible. While resting your feet, doing some plantar fasciitis stretching and muscle strengthening exercises can relieve pain and help prevent future injuries. Stretching the plantar fascia while massaging the pain points, stretching and training the calves and even "toe yoga" can help treat plantar fasciitis. Staying away from your feet and stretching when possible will certainly help you recover, but is the time it takes to walk or run inevitable? Is there a way to put pressure on the plantar fascia without causing more pain? The answer is yes, with the right support. Customizing yourself with a pair of functional corrective foot pads will not only treat your pain in the short term, but also prevent it from reoccurring in the future. Because plantar fascia is the main structure that makes up the arch, maintaining proper support is key. A custom insole base made of soft cushioning material paired with a strong supporting polymer material, thermoplastic molding, not only improves the foot force line and cushions foot pressure, but also remains stable even on a hard surface for a long time and supports it with its natural shape.

Tips:

Don't choose shoes or insoles that "feel like"!