Are you dealing with a nasty case of plantar fasciitis?

Heel pain is a frustrating little problem, especially if you are someone who values their morning run or daily exercise routine. Even if you aren’t what you’d call an avid exerciser, you may still find that your heel pain makes moving around and going about your day more complicated than you would like. A podiatrist is the best medical specialist to turn to when heel pain becomes an issue.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes inflammation within the thick band of tissue known as the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia runs the length of the foot along the soles from the toes to the heels and provides the arches of your feet with support and shock absorption. Unfortunately, microtears within the tissue can occur gradually over time (common in runners), leading to irritation and inflammation.

What Are the Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis?

Those with plantar fasciitis may notice that their heel pain is at its worst first thing in the morning or after long periods of sitting or standing. The tricky thing is that the pain often subsides throughout the day, making you think you can get in your run or regular workout routine after all. The only problem with that is that the heel pain often comes back with a vengeance after exercising. Along with heel pain, you may also notice painful or aching arches.

When Should I See a Podiatrist About My Heel Pain?

We know that no one wants to make an unnecessary trip to see their podiatrist unless the situation warrants it. Of course, if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or nerve damage in your feet and you are experiencing heel pain or any symptoms, it is important that you always seek immediate medical care to prevent the issue from getting worse.

While most healthy individuals will be able to handle their heel pain on their own, it’s also important to know when you need proper and more comprehensive care from a podiatrist. It’s important to turn to a podiatrist right away if you have severe pain, pain that makes it impossible to walk or put weight on the foot, numbness or tingling in the heel or foot, or heel pain caused by an injury.

If at-home care isn’t easing your heel pain after five days, then you should also give us a call so that we can create a more effective treatment plan for you.

Don’t let heel pain drag you down. If you are having trouble managing your symptoms and they are impacting your everyday activities and quality of life, it’s time to schedule an evaluation with a podiatrist.

Are you suffering from heel pain in Meredith and Concord, NH? If so, you need to see a doctor who can help you. There is a chance you might be suffering from plantar fasciitis. This is a relatively common condition that can lead to severe pain, particularly in the heel. If you see a podiatrist, you can get this condition treated as quickly as possible. Dr. Jeffery Davis, Dr. Thomas Detwiller, and Dr. William McCann with Affiliates in Podiatry can help you. Learn more about how this condition presents, and make sure you see a podiatrist who can help you.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

The bottom of your foot is protected by a thin layer of tissue called fascia. This tissue is designed to prevent damage from taking place involving the bottom of your foot. Unfortunately, there are situations where this tissue can become inflamed. Usually, this happens due to overuse. When this inflammation takes place, you could develop a condition called plantar fasciitis. 

When this tissue becomes inflamed, it starts to swell. This can make it difficult for you to move your foot without pain. In particular, the fascia is pulled tight at the back of your foot, usually at the heel. This is why the symptoms of plantar fasciitis are usually worse in your heel. 

How Does This Condition Present?

Similar to other medical conditions, the symptoms of plantar fasciitis can vary significantly depending on its severity. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• There are usually shooting or stabbing pains located in your heel.
• This pain can make it difficult for you to walk, run, or take the stairs.
• The pain is usually worse in the morning, but it tends to get better during the course of the day.
• It may make it hard for you to run initially, but it might get better with athletic activity.

There are other symptoms of plantar fasciitis that could develop with time, but you may be able to prevent these symptoms from getting worse if you can get your heel pain in Meredith and Concord, NH treated as quickly as possible. There are multiple treatment options available, and you should work with a foot doctor who can customize your treatment to meet your needs. 

Visit a Local Podiatrist for Help

Plantar fasciitis can have a significant impact on your mobility. Fortunately, there are treatment options available. If you are looking for help with heel pain in Meredith and Concord, NH, you need to see an experienced foot doctor. Dr. Davis, Dr. Detwiller, and Dr. McCann with Affiliates in Podiatry can help you. Call (603) 225-5281 today to make an appointment in Concord, and call (603) 279-0330 today to make an appointment in Meredith. 

Heel pain is an irritating, exhausting nuisance that hinders one's mobility and interferes with people's ability capacity to perform simple daily tasks. If you have sharp stabbing heel pain, you may have a condition called plantar fasciitis. Your Meredith and Concord, NH, podiatrist, Dr.William McCann, specializes in treatments for plantar fasciitis, most of which are non-invasive.

How We Can Help Your Plantar Fasciitis

The first step with plantar fasciitis is to cut down on strenuous overuse of your feet and heels, especially barefoot or with shoes that do not support the fascia tissue located at the arc of the foot. Do this by choosing shoes that support the arch of the foot to relieve some heel pain.

The next more active steps to relieve pain involves stretching the fascia muscles and applying the RICE method: rest your feet, ice the heel to alleviate the inflammation, control the pain using over-the-counter medicine to reduce inflammation, and elevate your feet.

What if those methods don't work?

If the above doesn't work, the next stage is applying specialized devices to the foot, such as night splints, which keep the foot tissues extended to relieve common morning heel pain or a walking cast to ensure the foot doesn't move and cause further irritation. Place pads in shoes to reduce shock and impact on the foot, or straps to keep the foot more secure while walking.

Orthotic devices, which your Meredith and Concord podiatrist can customize-make for you, may be placed in the shoes to correct irregularities, which may be the true cause of soreness.
 

Contacting your Podiatrist

If pain persists despite these treatments, Affiliates in Podiatry located In Meredith and Concord, NH, can provide more involved procedures such as corticosteroid injections in the foot to cut down on inflammation and ease pain. And, while surgery is rare, that is an option available as well. Make sure you contact Dr. William McCann for more information by calling (603) 279-0330 for our office in Mereditch, NH, or (603) 225-5281 in Concord, NH, today!

While heel pain is a common problem this doesn’t mean that it should just be brushed aside or considered a small matter. Untreated heel pain can lead to long-term pain and other problems. While there are many causes of heel pain the most common cause is plantar fasciitis. This condition causes irritation and inflammation within the thick band of tissue (known as the plantar fascia) that runs along the soles of the feet from the toes to the heel.

The telltale sign of plantar fasciitis is that the heel pain occurs under the heel beneath the heel bone. The pain may radiate to the arches of the feet because the plantar fascia provides support to the arches, as well. Heel pain may be worse first thing in the morning or after long bouts of inactivity. You may notice that your heel pain gets better with movement and exercise but gets worse immediately after.

Many people can treat plantar fasciitis effectively with at-home care; however, if your symptoms are severe, become worse or aren’t responding to conservative home treatments after five days then it’s time to see your podiatrist. A podiatrist will be able to provide you with answers as to what is causing your heel pain and how to best treat it.

Treating Plantar Fasciitis

Simple, conservative measures are usually all that’s needed to treat heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis. This includes:

• Resting and avoiding exercise and high-impact activities that will make symptoms worse
• Icing the heel and arches of the feet up to 20 minutes at a time, 2-3 times a day
• Wearing supportive shoes with a low heel
• Placing custom orthotics within shoes for additional support
• Performing specific foot stretching and strengthening exercises
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce pain and swelling
• Wearing a night splint to reduce morning pain and stiffness

Your foot doctor can show you a variety of exercises to perform that can alleviate heel pain and stiffness associated with plantar fasciitis. A podiatrist can also make prescription shoe inserts to provide your feet with the proper cushioning and structural support they need to reduce pressure points and improve the biomechanics of your feet.

Those with severe and persistent heel pain may require more aggressive treatment options such as ultrasound, steroid injections or shockwave therapy. Chronic plantar fasciitis may even require surgery to get rid of inflammation and tension within the plantar fascia. Surgery is rare but may be necessary when other treatment options have failed to properly manage and treat symptoms.

If you are dealing with heel pain for the first time it’s a good idea to see a podiatrist who can determine the cause of your pain and provide you with a customized treatment plan to get your heel pain under control.

The human foot and ankle contain 33 joints, 26 bones and over 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles. While all of these parts of the foot should work together, there are certain conditions, injuries and diseases that can affect the health and functioning of your foot or ankle. There are many instances in which you should turn to a podiatrist for individualized care that you can trust time and time again.

• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendinitis
• Heel pain
• Ankle sprains and fractures
• Foot fractures
• Sports-related injuries
• Bunions and hammertoes
• Corns and calluses
• Diabetic foot care
• Fungal infections
• Ingrown toenails
• Heel spurs