Category: Blog

This is a common heel pain that is widespread in middle-aged adults, which one can wish away. The pain manifests itself when taking the first steps in the morning. The plantar fascia ligaments are the shock absorbers of your feet and when they are inflamed or damaged they can cause pain in one or both heels. Several treatment options are effective when tailored to the patient’s preferences and risk factors. Problems resulting in plantar fasciitis include hard walking/running surfaces, an increase of weight-bearing activity, worn shoes and increased intensity of activity. Early detection of the problem means a shorter course treatment with a high probability of success with conservative treatments.

Some treatment of plantar fasciitis includes

1. Using lavender essential oil

According to a study in 2015, the lavender essential oil contains anti-inflammatory properties used in treating pain caused by inflammation. Dilute a drop of the essential oil in a oil carrier such as coconut or olive oil and massage at the bottom of your feet. Adding a few drops of the oil in a warm foot bath is also recommended.

2. Plenty of rest

This has been discovered to be an effective treatment that works best. For active adults who require walking and standing long, they might have a challenge complying with this requirement. You must have an outlined rest plan and find alternative activities to avoid aggravating the pain. If possible, avoid working on hard surfaces.

3. Wear supportive shoes

Wear shoes with a low heel that provides good arch support, especially if you are on your feet most of the time. The appropriate shoes help support the plantar fascia and prevent inflammation. If you are in sports it is important to wear the right shoe to avoid experiencing foot pain from running.

4. Use orthotics

Most medical practitioners recommend footpads or orthotic shoe inserts, especially if you have high arches, to distribute weight evenly. You can get ready-made orthotics available in pharmacies or request custom made orthotic inserts from your podiatrist.

5. Stretching

Stretching corrects various dysfunctional factors such as tightness of the foot muscles and improves the flexibility of the calf muscles. There are stretching techniques that help relieve plantar fasciitis. Calf stretches, toe stretches, and towel stretches are some stretches that should be done in the morning and several times a day. For towel stretches, roll the towel and pull both ends when placed under the ball of your foot.

6. Wear night splint

Night splints relieve pain by stretching the calves and arches overnight. If you have had plantar fasciitis for more than six months, these are recommended for you. They are available in soft and hard models and can be used from one to three months.

7. Massage

Simple massage techniques soothe pain in the heel. Use thumbs to massage the heels and arches starting from the balls of the feet towards the heel. A golf ball can be used to massage the arches. Put the foot on the golf ball and roll the golf ball under your arch. Hang on a stable support item while doing this.

8. Use an ice pack

Ice reduces inflammation and acts as a good massage aid. With a thin towel and cloth cover your ice pack and hold over the painful area for 15 to 20minutes; repeat this for at least three-four times a day. You can also roll the foot under the ice pack like the golf ball example.

9. Lose weight

Extra weight adds pressure on the plantar fascia and losing a few pounds relives off the pressure. Work with a doctor who can put in place a plan that focuses on regular exercise and a balanced diet.

10. Use NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce inflammation such include ibuprofen; they relieve pain caused by the inflamed plantar fascia. Only use the recommended dosage and consult a doctor to understand the interactions with other medications.

11. Apply TENS therapy

TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), uses low voltage electrical stimulation to relieve pain. This treatment is non-invasive and can be done at home using a TENS unit or it can be done by a professional.

If the pain does not respond to home treatments seek medical assistance from foot specialists at DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center. Additional testing and X-rays can be done to rule out other causes of foot pain such as a heel spur. A doctor can use steroid injections and physical therapy when dealing with plantar fasciitis.

What Causes Running Injuries?

More than fifty percent of runners suffer from an injury every year. Every elite runner knows that being sidelined for running injuries, especially heel pain, Achilles tendon pain, and the plantar fasciitis, is disappointing. People think running injuries occur because they increased the distance or intensity, or they did not stretch before and after running among other reasons. Some of these reasons aggravate an already underlying problem.

Most injuries are due to biochemical imbalance which causes the breakdown of the body due to subjective repetitive load causes. Biochemical imbalances cause muscle weakness and other imbalances that cause running injuries include

Muscle Flexibility Imbalances

A tight muscle is a common reason for a running injury. It is very possible to do a few stretches and get back running without pain. Simple, right! No, it’s not because the stretches help you re-align a muscle or tissue and you are back running again. The main question is what was the cause of the tight muscle? First, you need to find out why the muscle is overworking or tightening because stretching is a temporal solution. A tight hamstring may be as a result of weak abdominal muscles or glute muscle. These might be forcing the hamstring to compensate and with a few stretches you do not solve the weak abs or glutes and the problem might recur.

Soft Tissue Imbalances

This is complex, but changes in muscle tension can trigger points of fascia tightness. Muscle tension affects how the body functions, but with regular massage, the muscles relax.

Structural Imbalances

The body is not perfectly symmetrical; that is the right side of the body is not the same as the left side. People who cope well have minor asymmetries of the body depending on the number of differences. Others have severe structural imbalances that need more attention to avoid overstraining causing injuries from time to time.  

Muscle Strength Imbalances

For optimal functioning of the body, a balance between the inside and outside, the right and left side, the bottom and top, and the front and back of the body should be maintained. If the muscles of the right leg are weaker the muscles of the left leg will have difficulties. Unfortunately, there is never enough exercise to strengthen your muscles as you would expect. It is important to note that every joint in your body is affected when you work on one muscle. Effective muscle exercises need to be tailored individually for running purposes.

Some common running injuries include

Plantar fasciitis

This is an irritation of the fibrous tissue at the base of the heel due to forced strain on the plantar fascia. One experiences an arch pain or heel pain and the foot hurts with every step making running very difficult. This injury is common with runners who have very low or very high arches because the plantar fascia is forced to stretch. The pain caused by plantar fasciitis can continue for months and even years before completely healing so it should be treated as soon as possible.

Achilles tendon pain

The Achilles tendon is the strongest and thickest tendon connecting the back of the heel and calf muscles. The Achilles tendon injury is the painful inflammation of the tendon. The pain is common in the morning or with activity. Avoid training amidst this injury because the pain will eventually hinder the ability to jog lightly. Runners who have tight, weak calves are vulnerable to this injury.

Choosing the right running shoe is one of the protective ways in which runners can safeguard themselves from injuries. Correct your biomechanics to decrease the probability of injuries.

Understanding the Achilles Tendon

The achilles tendon is known to be the largest tendon in your body that extends from calf muscles to the bones of the heel. You can feel it at the back of your ankle and above your heel. To feel the achilles tendon at work, while on your feet, point your toes to the floor and raise the tips of your toes. Injuries to this tendon are often associated with mild or moderate pain or sudden stiffness in that part of the leg. In severe cases of achilles tendon pain, it may be because the tendon is torn or possibly ruptured. 

Causes of Injuries To The Achilles Tendon

The injury is common if someone is engaging in activities that require quick sprints, slow downs or pivots. Some of these activities are dancing, football, tennis, volleyball, softball, gymnastics, running, etc. Furthermore, repetitive strain of achilles tendon have been known to be a common cause of injury to the achilles tendon.

The achilles tendon connects to the achilles heel. The achilles heel bone can become tender with age and this increases the probability of an injury to the bone or tendon. This scenario is typically more severe for athletes that participate in quick movement sports.

How to prevent a foot injury to the achilles tendon?

To prevent an achilles tendon injury, some measures can be taken:

Daily stretching – It is necessary to stretch the calf muscles and achilles tendon daily to prevent injuries to this part of the leg. This will also improve your flexibility. 

• Increase activity level slowly – With regular physical activity, the likelihood of experiencing pain from achilles tendon is very slim
• Strengthen calf muscles – Strong muscles help the calf and achilles tendon to handle sudden stress caused by exercise or similar activities.  
• Take it easy – Try to keep away from activities that can cause stress to your calf muscles and achilles tendon. Warm-up first before you try any strenuous activity.  
• Choose shoes carefully – Choose the right shoes when exercising. Choose shoes that have suitable cushioning to reduce stress to your feet. Replace worn-out shoes. Finally, if the shoe is not comfortable, do not use it to exercise. 

Achilles Tendonitis Treatment

If you are dealing with Achilles tendonitis, the following steps can help alleviate the pain:

1. Rest the injured leg as much as you can and do not put weight on the leg. 
2. Ice it for at least twenty minutes and also do some stretches to avoid pain from the tendon.
3. Compress your injured leg with the help of elastic bandages around the lower leg and  ankle to reduce the chances of swelling.
4. You can take anti-inflammatory medicines which should help with pain and swelling. Take medicine only after consulting with a physician as it is necessary to use the right dosage
5. While resting, try elevating your leg to get some relief.
6. Try wearing heel lifts. Heel lifts in shoes give relief from achilles tendonitis pain.