Plantar Fasciitis—What Can You Do To Prevent It
Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a painful foot condition caused by the inflammation of tissues (plantar fascia) located at the bottom of the foot. The tissues connect toes and heel bones and cause excruciating pain when overworked, strained ortorn.
Risk Factors
PF is most common among adults over the age of 40. Often, healthy individuals develop PF without an obvious cause; there are certain factors that can increase the risk. These include:
- Exercise regime: If you have recently taken on exercising or are participating in activities involving footwork, you may develop PF. Aerobics, jumping, dancing and even regular running can cause the early onset.
- Obesity is a major contributor toward PF as body weight adds to the extra stress on foot tissues.
- Your occupation and job may be responsible for causing PF. If your work involves long hours of standing, walking or moving around, your feet may take the brunt of all this activity.
- Walking patterns and foot mechanics also contribute to the development of PF. Flat-footed people are at high risk as well as ones with bad posture.
Preventive Steps
If you at risk of developing plantar fasciitis due to any of the above-mentioned factors and are looking for preventative measures, read on:
- Lose some pounds: Regulating weight and balanced BMI can reduce the risk of developing PF.
- Choose the right shoe: Shoes affect your posture; if you’re at risk, minimize it by wearing comfortable shoes with strong support and a soft bottom.
- Always wear shoes: Walking barefoot can cause heel pain and PF. Wear shoes even if you’re moving from one place to the other for a short time.
- Stretch: Foot and heel exercise can lower the risk of PF by strengthening the tissues.
- Exercise: Low impact exercise like cycling and swimming not only help in relaxing your calves and toes but also help heal developing PF.
Dealing with Plantar Fasciitis
PF often heals on its own but medical intervention is necessary in severe cases; especially if you’re suffering from chronic pain. Stretching and icing disables the symptoms and contributes to quick recovery from PF but since it is often misdiagnosed—due to overlapping symptoms with other foot and ankle conditions—it may turn to chronic plantar heel pain.
In that case, your doctor may recommend advanced treatment options such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or foot surgery.
At Foot & Ankle Institute, we encourage PRP therapy for its efficacy and minimal to zero risk-factors often accompanying surgical treatment. Our institute is based in Miami Beach. You can book an appointment here.