Risk Factors

• Age – most common between 40 to 60
• Obesity or sudden weight gain
• Foot mechanics: flat feet, a high arch, when your patterns of walking is abnormal, then uneven weight is distributed to this fascia.
• Improper footwear
• Tight calf muscles
• High level of physical activities like standing for prolonged periods on concrete or hard surface.
• Long distance runner.

Treatments

• More than 90% of patients, will improve within 10 months of starting simple treatment.
• Rest: you need to stop sports activities temporarily, where your feet impact on hard surface.
• Ice: Rolling your foot over a cold water bag or ice for 20 minutes. It is to be done 3 to 4 times per day.
• Exercise: plantar fasciitis is aggravated by tight muscles in your feet and calves. Stretching your calves and plantar fascia is the most effective way to relieve the pain.
• Cortisone injection: it is a powerful anti-inflammatory medication to be injected into plantar fascia to reduce pain and inflammation
• Supportive shoes and orthotics:
• Shoes with thick soles or extra cushioning can reduce pain with standing and walking. As you step on the grfound, a significant amount of tension created on the fascia, which leads to micro-trauma( tiny tears in the tissue). This cushioned shoe reduces , this tension and microtrauma.
• Extra-corporeal shock wave therapy.( ECWT)
• During this procedures, high energy shock-wave impulses deliver to damaged plantar fascia tissue, which accelerates the healing.
• It is non-invasive. It does not require surgical incision.