02/03/2023
PHYSIOTHERAPY IN PLANTAR FASCIITIS
If you experiences pain in your heel that circulates in the entire foot and you probably an athlete, most specifically a marathon or a long-distance runner, then you may be suffering from plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is heel pain caused by straining the ligament connecting your heel to the front of your foot, the plantar fascia.
The plantar fascia consists of three bands made of the protein collagen, which is not very good at stretching. In the skin, it’s the protein elastin that combines with it to allow it to stretch without easily tearing.
Running too much too fast, wearing bad running shoes, and other factors can cause small tears in the plantar fascia. This is what causes the heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis.
The condition typically goes away on its own with adequate rest. But in some cases, the pain can continue for months.
SYMPTOMS OF PLANTAR FASCIITIS
•Severe heel pain in the morning or after rest, which usually gets better when you walk
•Dull or sharp pain at the bottom of your heel and along the foot arch
•Pain in the mid-foot area
•Tenderness in the heel area
•Pain when pushing your foot off the ground
•Hobbling when you get down from the bed in the morning
•Recurring pain after sitting still for a long period
Although many of these symptoms are mainly limited to pain, and there are genuine medications available to help bring relief to victims when they are taken, this option may not establish permanent relief, and it is by this reason physical therapy becomes another alternative option in the management of planar fasciitis.
There have been reviews made on how tight calf muscles makes pain in plantar fasciitis very worse, and under no circumstances will medication establishes that flexibility, except through physical therapy. Therefore, many protocols under physiotherapy will be of help to patients suffering from plantar fasciitis.
Some of these protocols are adopted to promote flexibility in surrounding soft tissues, reduces further strains in the plantar fascia as well as facilitate the healing of the strained fascia.
By and large, when all these essentials are obtained, then the main symptom, pain can be contained and enable the patient continue with routine activities.
1. Regular foot stretching exercises
Mainly lack of flexibility exercises poses various soft tissues to tightness and fragility. Regularly involving in flexibility exercises will keep the foot flexible and make soft tissues more pliable to withstand injuries during activities like running or even walking. There are many ways therapist can do to help achieve this goal of enhancing foot flexibility. Find attached images of some of the ways flexibility exercises can be maneuvered.
2. Use of therapeutic modalities.
In many developed countries, many treatment strategies have been adopted in the management of plantar fasciitis. Most of the cases of plantar fasciitis is being treated with shockwaves.
In a study by Ugurlar et al., 2018, they compared four types of treatment on chronic plantar fasciitis, including: shockwave therapy, corticosteroid injections, prolotherapy and platelet-rich plasma.
The study included six follow-up periods at the 1-, 3-, 6-,12-, 24- and 36-month post-treatment, and found that shockwave therapy was most beneficial in the first six months after treatment concluded (Ugurlar et al., 2018). The study also found that shockwave therapy began working within two weeks of application, with success rates between 48-88% (Urgurlar et al., 2018).
As a non-invasive treatment to supplement a physical therapy program, shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis is a great option. It can be effective for all kinds of injuries, both chronic and acute.
Shockwave therapy is also effective in treating other common conditions, like Achilles tendinopathy and lateral epicondylitis. Talk to us about treatment options for you.
3. Orthosis application
The use of certain shoes specially made to provide more rest and comfort to the foot will be very essential to use in the case of plantar fasciitis to give rest to the foot and prevent excessive movements that will cause further tears in the fascia.
5. Cold and Heat therapy
Cold has an analgesic effect, so as heat.
When cold it applied, it causes vasoconstriction in the blood vessels, reducing inflammation and pain.
It will therefore be best option to choose at the acute phase of plantar fasciitis to curtail the inflammation associated with it. However, Heat by nature induces vasodilation effect and as well makes tissues more labile and pliable for stretching.
By the pain gate control theory, Heat can be used to manage pain. This makes Heat an important modality to choose over cold when the conditions is chronic.
