When you get out of bed in the morning is your first word “OUCH!”. Or by the end of the day are you dragging yourself to bed? Do you have a history of recurrent heel pain? You may be suffering from a common condition known as plantar fasciitis. Plantar means “the sole of the foot” and fasciitis meaning “inflammation of the surrounding connective tissue.” This condition can cause a great deal of pain, and it can be extremely debilitating. The good news is the Physical Therapists at FYZICAL Oklahoma City treat plantar fasciitis all the time. And they can help you Love Your Life!
What Does Plantar Fasciitis Feel Like?
When left untreated, plantar fasciitis can cause pain while walking. Waiting to get treatment for plantar fasciitis is going to slow you down or may stop you from doing the things you love. Plantar fasciitis can make going about daily life a real chore. Common symptoms indicating you may be suffering from plantar fasciitis include:
- sharp pain in the heel during your first few steps in the morning
- heel pain after prolonged weight bearing activity (like standing throughout a work shift)
- tenderness with when you touch or push on the inside of your heel
- inability to go barefoot
Why Do I have Plantar Fasciitis?
Studies have identified certain risk factors that leave you at increased likelihood for developing plantar fasciitis. These risk factors include decreased ankle mobility, decreased hip mobility, a high foot arch, hamstring tightness, standing on hard surfaces for prolonged periods of time, increased time spent walking, poor footwear and a high body mass index. Unfortunately, these risk factors show up in a lot of the patients who come to physical therapy at FYZICAL Oklahoma City, but our PTs know what to look out for.
So, you might get plantar fasciitis if you
- are a runner who doesn’t routinely stretch (particularly your hamstrings or your hip flexors).
- are working in a job that requires you to stand for long periods of time (for example, in a warehouse or distribution position).
- are wearing poorly fitting or old shoes. Shoes have a lifespan. If you aren’t wearing properly fitted, supportive shoes you may be exacerbating your Plantar Fasciitis.
- are overweight.
Plantar fasciitis can occur when you are starting a new exercise routine or increasing the effort in an exercise routine (e.g., walking all the way around Lake Hefner when you were only walking 1-2 miles). If you start to develop pain while working out, that’s not normal. And it is time to get treatment with your physical therapist.
Will My Plantar Fasciitis Go Away?
Plantar fasciitis while painful, can be treated. Physical Therapy for plantar fasciitis is conservative, effective care making it a great first stop for treatment a great place to start. (Did you know you can see you Physical Therapist without a referral from your doctor?) At FYZICAL Oklahoma City, your physical therapist will perform an evaluation to determine why you are having pain. Your PT will test your range of motion limitations, strength deficits, myofascial restriction and/or muscle strength deficits which are contributing to plantar fasciitis symptoms. At FYZICAL Oklahoma City, our physical therapists can perform a dynamic gait scan of your feet to get a visual walking pattern to see if custom orthotics may benefit you. Your physical therapist will create an individualized program, which targets the impairments and factors contributing to your symptoms.
What Happens During Physical Therapy?
People often think that Physical Therapy is going to be painful, and while you may have some pain during treatment, it is our goal to get you out of pain. When you get treatment for plantar fasciitis here at FYZICAL Oklahoma City, it is our primary goal to get you out of pain and help you Love Your Life!
Research has shown that physical therapy treatment of plantar fasciitis shows great results. During physical therapy your team will use your evaluation to come up with a plan tailored to your needs. Treatment for plantar fasciitis can cover a variety of interventions including:
- Manual therapy - by touching your heel, foot, or other impacted body parts, a physical therapist can identify where you may have inflammation or tightness that needs to be released
- Taping - by properly supporting your heel and ankle, you can take some stress off of these structures while you gain strength and flexibility
- Therapeutic exercise – by properly strengthening and stretching, you can limit the undue stress helping to cause the Plantar Fasciitis
- Heel or arch support – by analyzing your gait, we can recommend a better fit for your shoes
- Night splints – by wearing night splints, you can reduce the movement of your foot at night thus reducing the pain you feel in the morning
- Ultrasound - by using ultrasound for treatment (not imaging) of plantar fasciitis, you can have tissues freed up to move more naturally
- Low level laser therapy – similar to ultrasound, but by incorporating laser therapy you may have some relief from a different mechanism
- Behavioral Intervention –your PT will work with you to try and eliminate any of the activities or factors present which are contributing to this condition.
You can receive these interventions by scheduling an appointment for physical therapy to discover which interventions are the most beneficial for you.
Here at FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers, your physical therapist will provide interventions including manual therapy which will include joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization of the fascia and surrounding structures, in addition they will include neuromuscular reeducation of your muscles to prevent plantar fasciitis from returning. Your therapist will develop an individualized exercise program to target the muscles that require flexibility and strengthen the muscles that are weak to aid in your recovery. Modalities may be included in your treatment program including ice, heat, or electrical stimulation to reduce the pain. This condition can become a chronic issue, so the sooner you receive treatment the more successful it is likely to be.
-FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers of Oklahoma City
FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers of Oklahoma City provides orthopedic physical therapy in Lakeside, The Village, Nichols Hills and surrounding NW Oklahoma City. Our physical therapists are specially trained to treat all types of pain, movement disorders, and musculoskeletal dysfunction including plantar fasciitis. Our practitioners take a patient-centered individualized approach that focuses on your health needs. If you are unsure about your pain, or you want to see the FYZICAL Difference for yourself, schedule a free consultation today.
Resources:
Journal of Orthopedic Sports Physical Therapy. 2014;44(11):A1-A23. doi:10.2519/jospt.2014.0303
Originally published 5/10/2019