Plantar Fasciitis / Heel Pain

About

Common cause and symptoms of chronic Plantar Fasciitis heel pain. Symptoms: Many who suffer from Plantar Fasciitis feel a stabbing pain in the boot of the heel of the foot. The pain will worsen as you take your first steps after awakening. Causes: Your plantar fascia ligament performs like a shock-absorbing bowstring that supports your foot arch. Tension and stress on this can cause minor tears causing inflammation and irritation. Solutions: 1. Dorsal night splints are worn on the front part of the foot. Straps are used to pull the toes upward. This pulling effect provides dorsal flexion which helps to stretch the plantar fascia ligament. The dorsal night splint is most often preferred due to comfort. 2. The Boot night splint is commonly used by most sufferers of plantar fasciitis because it has a more rigid, plastic outer layer with a soft inner layer. It also has a more adjustable angle of flexion. This type of foot splint is generally worn on the back of the leg and effectively stretches the plantar fascia ligament reducing heel pain. Plantar Fasciitis – How to Manage the Orthopedic/Podiatric Condition? What is Plantar Fascia? Plantar fascia or aponeurosis is a band of thick fibrous tissue present on the underside of the sole. It extends forward from the calcaneus bone (or heel) to get inserted onto the heads of metatarsal bones. It may be anatomically divided into three components i.e. central (maximum thickness), medial and lateral parts. Plantar aponeurosis strengthens the sole musculature by wrapping around the long tendons of abductor hallucis & flexor digitorum brevis. (1) It helps maintain the foot curvature and assists in foot mobility during normal gait & during running as well. What is Plantar Fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory condition of the plantar fascia, triggered by excessive straining or by small tears of this aponeurotic band. It is undoubtedly the most commonly observed cause of heel pain in orthopedic & podiatric clin