Plantar fascia is a foot related problem where you have pain in the bottom of your foot from the front to the back. It's normally worse first thing in the morning or after sitting or driving for a period of time. Most patients relate it's the worst when they get out of bed in the morning and it takes them a number of steps to loosen it up so they have less pain.
It's important when this first starts to make sure you search out ways to stretch your fascia this is important because it's like warming it up like you would before you workout to increase the blood supply which helps the soreness to go away. Also initially it is important to wear shoes with some degree of support as much as possible. Using over-the-counter arch supports can also be helpful in initial treatment. Shoes with a slight heel tend to be more helpful because they change the angle of the foot and reduce the stress on the plantar fascia. Sometimes using over-the-counter wrapping of the arch can be successful these are generally made out of elastic material. Using anti-inflammatories can be helpful to reduce the soreness this should be used for no more than 7 days.
When the plantar fasciitis continually hurts over the first few months normally some professional treatment is necessary. When you first see me we want to explain what exactly is going on, the foot is structured the bones on top of your foot form a triangle and the plantar fascia attaches at the front of the foot on the bottom at approximately 10 different spots and attaches only on the heel at one spot. Most plantar fasciitis pain occurs towards the heel area. In the physical exam the faccia can be very painful and tight.
When you look at the treatments available at our office conservative care works high in the 90 percentile range. Initially the goal is to reduce the generalized discomfort and pain quickly. Depending on the location of the centralized pain we can use an injection have a low-grade steroid injection with a cold spray from the side of the foot to minimize discomfort. The use of wrapping the arch can be helpful in some cases also. The injection it's given one two three times over the course of the first month. In cases of chronic plantar fasciitis it is necessary to use a custom-made orthotic for the support of the arch. These are handmade and are made from a flexible resilient plastic material that is flexible and extremely comfortable. With this treatment fasciitis normally never recurs , they can be used for sports activities and can be made for most types of shoes for non sports activities. At this point if we still have problems with Improvement we can consider a PRP injection which is a form a stem cell type injection. The PRP is drawn from your own blood, it maximizes the healing properties and is rejected in and around the fascia , cam Walker is used post PRP injection to reduce stress to the fascia and allow quicker healing.
In extremely rare cases surgery may be necessary, this is done on an outpatient basis under a Twilight sleep or possibly done with in the office setting. The surgery itself is a lengthening of the insertion of the fascia, once all conservative treatment have not been successful this procedure is highly effective for correction. Patients still need to wear the orthotic post-surgery and wear a cam Walker for the first few weeks after the fascia is released. To find out more about a Plantar Fasciitis Doctor in Kansas City visit our website.
Todays guest post comes from Dr. Thomas Bembynista, serving Overland Park and Kansas City, Missouri (both north off Barry Rd. and south of the river, midtown area). Dr. Bembynista offers expert podiatric services and focuses on patient care and responding to individual patient needs.
Dr. Bembynista is originally from Chicago but has been practicing in Kansas City for 34 years. My philosophy is always to put the patient first, time will always be taken to listen to your problem and review treatments. Each care plan is tailored to your individual needs. We use advanced technology with digital x-rays, lasers, and instructional videos.
KC Foot Care: Thomas Bembynista, DPM
8695 College Blvd #220, Overland Park, KS 66210
W8G7+VP Overland Park, Kansas
(913) 894-0660