Have you ever felt a sharp pain or tightness in the bottom of your heel or the arch of your foot? Or maybe you wake up in the morning to tenderness in your heel that moves up to the balls of your feet, with a pain that usually goes away as you walk around a bit. You just might be dealing with some form of plantar fasciitis.
So What is Plantar Fascsiitis?
To explain it simply, plantar fasciitis is a degenerative musculoskeletal disorder that commonly impacts people in the 40-60 age range. An inflammation of the connective tissue, or fascia, that extends from the heel through the arch of your feet, plantar fasciitis can impact a wide range of people, as the disorder originates from increased pressure of the plantar surface. So people dealing with obesity, flat feet, or issues of ankle mobility are all prone to plantar fasciitis, as are runners, who are most likely dealing with an acute injury, as opposed to a repetitive trauma.
Treating Plantar Fasciitis at Home
Before you go running to a doctor for treatment, know that minor and acute flare ups of plantar fasciitis can be treated from the comfort of your home, with some simple treatments.
First, plantar fasciitis is an inflammation, and a solid treatment for any inflammation is rest. And while you’re resting, ice the specific pain point. If you’re experiencing localized pain, apply ice directly to the hurting area of your foot.
Additional Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis
Sometimes the inflammation just does not go away with rest and ice, and for those situations, we would always encourage you to seek out a medical professional for help. Your solution may be as simple as a shoe insert that will redistribute the pressure on your foot as you walk or run.
In some cases, you may be directed to anti-inflammatory drugs, localized steroid injections, electrotherapy or physiotherapy, but these treatments often address the pain, but do not offer curative results.
Acoustic Wave: A Better Treatment
At the Frank Institute, we offer Acoustic Wave Therapy as a treatment for plantar fasciitis. Recent research shows that AWT is proven to have a positive impact on the plantar tissue through the transmission of sound waves in the affected area. These sound waves disperse pain receptors, and initiate the healing process of blood vessel formation and increased nutrient flow to the damaged plantar region.
Through ultrasound imaging, there is proof that this treatment also reduces the thickness of inflamed tissue and restructures the appearance of the plantar fascia. Essentially, Acoustic Wave Therapy is a successful treatment for both the pain and inflammation attributed to plantar fasciitis.
Get Your Feet Back to Healthy
For some people, plantar fasciitis can be nearly debilitating. And through Acoustic Wave Therapy at the Frank Institute, many of our patients have reported having less pain after just three treatments. So what are you waiting for? We are here to help you back to optimal health, so reach out to our team today!
At the Frank Institute, you live – we help!