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I hope everyone is well and enjoying their lives. This is our fifth week learning about physical therapy, and we have learned a lot about it that we did not know before. So today, I will also complete this task and understand why we get this pain.

Let's move on to the main task.

Plantar Fasciitis

The condition affecting our thick tissue band is often called plantar fascia. It usually runs along the bottom of our feet. It plays an important role in supporting the arch of the foot and connecting our heel bone to our toes. Due to the damage or swelling of these tissues, we feel pain in our heels, especially when we do any activity that requires walking or standing.

Causes:

Some common causes of plantar fasciitis are as follows:

Repetitive Stress:

In general, standing or running for long periods can cause the fascia to stretch or tear from our constant pressure.

Aging:

As we age, our tissues naturally begin to shrink, especially in people with osteoarthritis.

Obesity:

Obesity is very harmful to us because when we are overweight, this excess weight will put extra pressure on our feet, which increases the risk of damage to our plantar fascia.

Poor Foot Mechanics:

People with high arches, flat feet, or those who wear the wrong shoes do not take long to develop this condition, and they are more prone to it.

Underlying Conditions:

In general, diabetes and arthritis problems can also contribute to the development of plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms:

People with plantar fasciitis usually have pain under the arch of the foot, and this pain is worse in the morning or when they wake up after a rest. There are other symptoms as well, which are:

Heel and Arch Pain:

The first symptom is that we start to experience a lot of pain in our heels and arches, making any activity beyond endurance.

Stiffness:

We usually feel this pain in the morning or when we have been sitting for a long time and then suddenly when we walk, it becomes more noticeable.

Swelling:

Due to excessive swelling, the bottom of our feet also become swollen, which makes its symptoms clear.

Difficulty Walking:

Due to this pain, we cannot stand or walk for long periods, and walking is very difficult and tiring.

Types:

Generally, these are the two most popular types of it which are as follows:

Acute Plantar fasciitis:

In acute plantar fasciitis, we suddenly feel pain and inflammation, which lasts less than a month.

Chronic Plantar fasciitis:

Chronic plantar fasciitis is another type of pain that lasts for more than a month and indicates inflammation or damage to these tissues over a long time.

There may be other causes of these conditions, such as a rupture of the plantar fascia or the involvement of another muscle, such as the Achilles tendon.

Diagnosis:

Imaging Tests:

Some imaging tests involve X-rays. X-rays provide us with all the information about our bone spurs, and so does MRI, which presents us with all the details of the damage to our tissue.

Physical Examination:

In such a situation, the doctor performs a physical examination of the patient, in which he may check the heel for tenderness or limited range of motion.

Medical History:

The patient's entire history provides us with a clue to diagnose all the symptoms of this condition, so they know the patient's entire past health history.

Special Test in Physiotherapy:

There are specific physiotherapy tests through which we can confirm this.
Ankle Dorsiflexion Test: Through this, we can properly assess the range of motion in our ankle joint.
Great Toe Extension Test: Through this test, we can assess the mobility of the foot.
Palpation of the Heel: In this, we press on the heel and check where the inflammation is more and where the pain is felt, so this way it identifies it well.

Best Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis:

Rest & Ice:

In such a situation, we should avoid things that put too much stress on our feet, such as high-impact exercises.
Ice Therapy means that we have to apply this ice pack on our affected area for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

There are a few methods commonly used to diagnose plantar fasciitis, which are listed below.

Patient History:

Symptoms Inquiry:

When a patient with such a condition comes to us, we first check their symptoms. From this, we find out when this pain occurs and whether this pain occurs in the morning or the evening or is caused by some activity.

Activity and Lifestyle:

His physical activities also need to be taken into account, which will reveal what the causes are, for example, excessive running or standing for long periods, checking his regular habits, or asking him if he has suffered any previous injuries.

Medical Conditions:

We can also trace it to his medical condition, whether it's due to his poor health diabetes, or extra, eme obesity.

Physical Examination:

Pain Localization:

A patient with such a condition is physically examined, in which the heel and arch parts of the foot will be pressed. Because in such a situation, there is a lot of pain near the heel and it starts to decrease along with the foot, so we have a good idea.

Range of Motion Test:

Through this test, we will assess the patient's ankle and toe movements, especially when their foot is bent or when looking for any tightness or pain.

Special Test:

Ankle Dorsiflexion Test:

Through this test, we ask the patient to bend their ankle upwards and then we assess their mobility and pain in the foot. If this movement and pain are limited to a certain extent, then it may suggest plantar fasciitis.

Great toe Extension Test:

We slowly move the foot upwards and if this pain is felt in the plantar fascia, it indicates a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis.

Heel Palpation:

Then we press it on the inflamed area of the patient's heel. If we get an exact response or if he feels pain there, then this is a characteristic of plantar fasciitis.

Imaging Test:

X-rays:

Often, bone fractures or bone spurs also occur with plantar fasciitis, so we do an X-ray to rule out this condition.

MRI:

MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This test is done when the condition is severe enough and the diagnosis is unclear. We use this test to assess any inflammation or to look at the soft tissues of the foot, including the plantar fascia.

Gait Analysis:

Foot Mechanics Assessment: Poor foot mechanics, high arches, or flat feet can also contribute to plantar fasciitis, so we look at the patient's gait to see how they walk.

Other Conditions:

Exclusion of Other Conditions: Nerve compression and stress fractures can also cause significant heel pain, so we use this to evaluate this diagnosis to rule it out.

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