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When your heel hurts, it could be due to a number of different issues. However, one of the most common causes of a painful heel is plantar fasciitis. While this condition is common, it leads to a lot of pain and discomfort if you don’t treat it.
At Phoenix Foot and Ankle Institute, our knowledgeable team has the tools to help you overcome your heel pain. Leading our team is Dr. Jeffrey McAlister, an expert foot and ankle specialist. Dr. McAlister offers a variety of treatments for plantar fasciitis and other conditions that affect your heel.
Your foot is made up of a number of different bones and ligaments, all of which work together to allow you to move it properly. One of the ligaments in your foot, the plantar fascia, is located just beneath your skin on the underside of your foot.
Your plantar fascia is a key component in the support of the arch of your foot. It also connects the heel to the front portion of your foot. This ligament is extremely strong, as it needs to absorb most of the pressure and weight you put on your feet daily.
When the stress becomes too much, though, it leads to tears in the ligament tissue. In response to these tears, your body begins an inflammatory response in the area of your heel, which often leads to pain and stiffness along the plantar fascia. The inflammation is called plantar fasciitis.
While plantar fasciitis is common, you may not know a whole lot about it. But if you’re dealing with heel pain, there are some encouraging facts about this condition that can help. Five of these facts include:
Many cases of plantar fasciitis don’t require any medical intervention at all. In fact, this condition can often be treated using conservative measures at home, such as activity modification and rest.
Stretching really goes a long way in a number of conditions, including plantar fasciitis. Although stretching isn’t an immediate fix for plantar fasciitis, it can eliminate the condition altogether when practiced daily for several weeks to months.
Your feet are pretty important, which means choosing the right type of shoe for daily activities is equally as important. A well-fitted shoe with the proper amount of arch support and cushioning can go a long way in supporting your plantar fascia.
About 1 in every 10 people will suffer from plantar fasciitis at some point in their lives, which is pretty common for a medical disorder.
Your feet have to endure an astounding amount of pressure and force day in and day out, so it’s no surprise that your plantar fascia needs to be incredibly strong. Still, over time, the intense pressure can lead to damage and pain.
If Dr. McAlister determines that plantar fasciitis is the culprit behind your heel pain, there are a number of different treatment options to get you the relief you’ve been looking for. Based on the severity of your symptoms, Dr. McAlister comes up with a personalized treatment plan for you.
Treatments for plantar fasciitis vary from conservative measures to surgery in severe cases. Some of the options that Dr. McAlister offers to help you overcome this condition include:
In severe cases, when other types of treatments haven’t worked and the pain is affecting your life, Dr. McAlister may recommend surgery. The procedure he performs for plantar fasciitis is known as a gastrocnemius recession.
While surgery is rarely needed for this condition, it’s an option in very severe, recurrent cases of plantar fasciitis. However, it’s reserved as the last resort, because it’s an invasive procedure with far more risks than other types of treatments.
Don’t continue to suffer from the pain of plantar fasciitis. Call us at 602-761-7819 to schedule a consultation with Dr. McAlister, or book an appointment online with us today.
