Why You’re More Likely to Get a Plantar Fasciitis Diagnosis in Spring

Did you know many of our patients get a plantar fasciitis diagnosis in spring? That’s right, many people’s favorite season also spells big trouble for heel pain! After all, this is the season when people decided to walk more places, giving the car a brief break.

Often, they’re walking on hard concrete, which puts lots of pressure on your plantar fascia. (That’s the ligament running along the bottom of your foot. It connects your heel bone to the forefoot. And, in between, it helps support your arches.)

Walking too much or suddenly increasing your walking distance can cause inflammation and/or pain. Which is why, after a long winter or hot summer indoors, you’re more likey to get a plantar fasciitis diagnosis. Let’s take a closer look.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Photo by Imani Bahati on Unsplash

As we suggested before, plantar fasciitis refers to inflammation in the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. Known as the plantar fascia, it supports much of your walking movement. So, once in trouble, it causes mild to severe heel pain. Especially when you first get out of bed in the morning, or start to move after long periods of sitting.

Causes

• Excessive running
• Being pregnant or overweight
• Non-supportive shoes
• Overpronation
• Repeated stretching and tearing of the plantar fascia
• Foot structure, including flat feet and high-arched feet

Symptoms

While plantar fasciitis can look different in different patients, common symptoms include:

• Heel pain that’s worst first thing in the morning
• Arch Pain
• Tenderness at the heel or arch

Plantar Fasciitis Diagnosis and Treatment in Spring, TX

Here at Louetta Foot and Ankle Specialists, our podiatrists always follow the latest treatment developments. Recently, we came across a pilot study in the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, offering new hope after a plantar fasciitis diagnosis.

The study suggests that injecting your own fat into the sole of your foot could offer heel pain relief. Why would this work? The idea is that your fat cells contain stem cells that help your body heal itself. So, when researchers injected the plantar fascia with these cells, their plantar fascia size reduced, and their quality of life improved. Still, the study only included 14 patients. As such, our office will wait for further investigation before offering this treatment option.

Traditional Plantar Fasciitis Treatments

In our Spring and Tomball TX podiatry offices, we take your medical history and conduct a physical exam before giving a plantar fasciitis diagnosis. Then, we may recommend one of the following treatment options.

• Conservative measures – anti-inflammatories, ice packs, stretching exercises, physical rehabilitation, orthotic devices or night splints
• Shockwave therapy – sound waves are sent to the affected area to facilitate healing and is usually used for chronic cases of plantar fasciitis
• Surgery – usually only used as a last resort when all else fails. The plantar fascia can be surgically detached from the heel

Thankfully, our patients usually experience fast relief using these methods. That was the case for Richard D, who recently shared, “Thank you Dr Bachmann for quickly identifying the cause of my foot/heel pain. After yesterday’s appointment I slept with the boot… although I didn’t sleep well… I awoke without the sharp heel pain. a very slight discomfort pinch but I was able to walk immediately without agonizing pain in every step! I look forward to a full recovery and will follow the other suggestions of stretching, icing etc… Thank you so much!!”

Now, while it’s pretty easy to treat plantar fasciitis, you can’t ignore early warning signs.  Especially in severe cases, you need to make an immediate appointment with our team, since heel pain worsens without intervention. The sooner you come in, the sooner we can work with you to provide the appropriate treatment options tailored to your condition.