The CDC estimates that nearly two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, and carrying around that extra weight can cause a few different health issues.
Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction are much likely if you are overweight or obese. Another potential consequence of being a little heavy is developing plantar fasciitis.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the term for whenever this ligament experiences too much pressure and gets damaged. The plantar fascia will become inflamed causing your heel to hurt and become stiff.
The plantar fascia is a long, thick ligament located on the bottom of your foot. This ligament resembles a web and connects your heel to the base of your toes. The main purpose of the plantar fascia is to support the arch of your foot, provide padding for your feet, and act like a shock absorber.
It’s estimated that as many as one in ten people will experience plantar fasciitis in their lifetime. People of all ages can develop plantar fasciitis, but it most commonly affects people in the middle stages of their lives. Specifically, the years between ages 40 and 70 are when you’re most likely to experience plantar fasciitis.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis usually develops over time due to an increased amount of strain on your plantar fascia, particularly when excessive stress and pressure damage and tear the tissues.
As previously mentioned, age is one of the primary contributing factors for plantar fasciitis. The general wear and tear experienced by your feet can accumulate over the years. However, there are several other factors involved that can also increase the risks of plantar fasciitis.
Excess weight
Every additional pound that you carry will add about four pounds of extra pressure to your feet and plantar fascia. The increased pressure can quickly wear out and damage your ligament. Plantar fasciitis is especially common when weight gain is sudden. Pregnant women in particular have a higher risk of plantar fasciitis during the final months of the pregnancy.
Active lifestyle
Think of your plantar fascia ligaments as nature’s built-in shoes. If you wake up every morning and run a few miles, then your shoes will wear out fairly quickly. The same is true for your plantar fascia. Athletes in general are at higher risk, but long-distance runners and marathoners are especially susceptible to plantar fasciitis.
Active occupation
Frequently running isn’t the only path to plantar fasciitis. Having a very active job that requires you to stand on your feet for a long period of time can also cause problems. Factory workers, restaurant servers, and construction workers are also at a high risk of plantar fasciitis.
Abnormal foot conditions
Several abnormal foot conditions may increase the odds of developing plantar fasciitis. If you have high arches, flat feet, or tight Achilles tendons then you’ll be at a much higher risk of plantar fasciitis. You’ll need to wear the proper shoes to help compensate for these abnormalities or you can quickly damage your plantar fascia ligament.
What are the Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis?
The pain from plantar fasciitis gradually increases and is usually the worst around your heel. Normally, the pain will be most intense whenever you first wake up in the morning or after long periods of being off your feet. The first step will be the worst one, but the pain usually lessens throughout the day.
Plantar fasciitis usually doesn’t affect you when you exercise, but the pain will really kick in after you’re finished. It will especially be bad if you wear shoes without proper padding or engage in physical activities while barefoot.
Can You Prevent Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis typically results from too much stress on your feet. Making certain lifestyle changes can reduce this stress and lower the odds of plantar fasciitis.
Losing weight can help you avoid several health complications including plantar fasciitis. Wearing shoes with additional padding can help support your heels and limit the strain of your plantar fascia. Properly stretching out your plantar fascia, calves, and Achilles tendon can help strengthen them and keep them loose.
Should You Go to the Doctor for Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis isn’t like your run-of-the-mill foot pain. It’s common for your feet to ache after a long day of work, but plantar fasciitis is much more severe. You should schedule a visit with your doctor or podiatrist if you frequently experience pain in your feet.
The medical professional will need to perform a physical exam to determine the nature of your foot pain. You’ll need to flex your foot while they push down on your plantar fascia. They’ll check for swelling, redness, and tenderness of your foot. It’s possible that your pain is the result of nerve compression, stress fractures, or a loss of fatty tissue in your feet.
How Do You Treat Plantar Fasciitis?
There are a few ways that you can manage plantar fasciitis if you get diagnosed with it. Depending on the severity of your condition, you might need to consider several of these treatment options.
The need for surgery to repair plantar fasciitis damage is rare, but can happen if the following treatments don’t improve your symptoms after a year:
The RICE protocol
The easiest way to treat plantar fasciitis at home is to follow the RICE protocol whenever you can. The RICE protocol is an anagram for the following steps:
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Rest: You’ll need to stay off your foot for a little to help reduce the inflammation in your plantar fascia. It may be a good idea to use crutches for a while to get around.
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Ice: Applying ice to your foot can help reduce swelling and ease your pain. Freezing a water bottle and rolling it underneath your foot for about 20 minutes can help you soothe your entire plantar fascia.
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Compression: A brace or compression roll can help to reduce any additional swelling and take some of the pressure off your plantar fascia.
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Elevation: Try to prop your foot above your heart when you’re relaxing to help reduce the excess fluid in your foot. It can help to reduce swelling and speed up the recovery process.
Anti-inflammatory medication
Taking over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen can help you deal with the pain in your feet. But the primary benefit of these drugs is their anti-inflammatory properties. They can lower the inflammation in your feet and help soothe the symptoms.
For more severe damage, you might need to get an injection of a corticosteroid directly into your ligament. Your doctor or podiatrist will need to locate the damaged section of your plantar fascia and perform the necessary injections.
Physical exercise
There are two different exercises that can help relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. Ideally, you should perform these stretches first thing in the morning:
Plantar fascia stretch
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Sit down and cross your injured foot over the knee of your other leg.
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Grasp the toes of your injured foot and pull them toward you.
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Place your other hand along your plantar fascia and hold it for 10 seconds. You’ll feel like a tight band along the bottom of your feet is being stretched.
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Repeat the stretch 15 to 20 times for each foot.
Calf stretch
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Lean against a wall by placing your hands in front of you.
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Place one leg behind you with your heel on the ground and knee straight.
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Put your other leg in front of you with your heel on the ground and knee bend.
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Push your hips toward the wall and hold the position for about 10 seconds. You’ll feel a strong pull in your calf during this stretch.
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Repeat the stretch 15 to 20 times for each foot.
How RexMD Can Help
Plantar fasciitis can be a very painful experience. You probably won’t need to undergo surgery, but it can take a long time to repair the damage.
The best treatment option for plantar fasciitis is prevention. Switching to a healthier diet, wearing supportive shoes, and performing a few daily stretches are the best ways to prevent plantar fasciitis.
If you are experiencing plantar fasciitis and you don’t know where to start? RexMD’s parent company LifeMD can connect you to a licensed medical professional to help you identify the cause and determine the best treatment option for you. Make an online appointment today to get started.
