Living With Plantar Fasciitis

Stabbing heel pain when you first step out of bed in the morning or after you’ve been sitting for a long time is a telltale sign of life with plantar fasciitis, a common foot disorder. You may have never even heard of the plantar fascia — the long, thick ligament that stretches from your toes to your heel — until it causes you pain. When you have plantar fasciitis, it means this band of tissue is irritated and inflamed.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans living with plantar fasciitis, the good news is that nonsurgical treatment usually alleviates symptoms so you can take more comfortable steps each day. Here at Kazmer Foot & Ankle Centers, with convenient office locations in Elgin and Barrington, Illinois, Dr. Gary Kazmer provides expert podiatry services for patients of all ages living with plantar fasciitis. We can help you get your foot pain under control by treating the underlying cause of your condition. 

Risk factors and root causes of plantar fasciitis

It’s possible to develop plantar fasciitis without an obvious cause, but most people have risk factors that increase their chances of developing this condition, including:

• Being overweight or obese
• Pregnancy
• Standing for long periods of time, especially on hard surfaces
• Being a long-distance runner
• Being between 40-60 years old
• Participating in activities that involve jumping
• Having high arches 
• Having flat feet
• Having heel spurs

The first step in controlling your plantar fasciitis pain is identifying the underlying cause. Once Dr. Kazmer determines why your plantar fascia is inflamed and irritated, he develops a personalized treatment strategy to get symptoms under control. This often involves a combination of medical therapies and lifestyle changes, which we discuss below.

Nonsurgical treatment for plantar fasciitis

Dr. Kazmer often uses a combination of nonsurgical treatments designed to relieve stress and reduce inflammation of your plantar fascia, including:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Custom foot orthotics
• Night splints
• Icing the bottom of your foot
• Activity modification techniques
• Physical therapy, such as targeted foot stretches 
• Corticosteroid injections

Only in very severe cases, when pain and symptoms don’t respond to conservative treatments, does Dr. Kazmer recommend surgery to alleviate plantar fasciitis symptoms. Surgery involves detaching your plantar fascia from your heel to eliminate stress on the ligament in your foot. 

After surgery, you have to allow time for your foot to heal before you’re able to resume your regular activities. Again, in most cases, you won’t have to resort to surgery to reduce inflammation and get relief from plantar fasciitis pain, but if you do, Dr. Kazmer is an expert in his field. He only recommends surgery when all other nonsurgical treatments fail to provide long-term relief. 

Lifestyle changes provide relief from foot discomfort

In addition to medical therapies, Dr. Kazmer typically recommends a variety of lifestyle changes to help reduce pain and increase foot comfort when you walk. Common at-home strategies for managing plantar fasciitis typically include:

• Wearing custom foot orthotics
• Avoiding high impact sports
• Replacing athletic shoes regularly
• Losing weight to reduce stress on your feet
• Wearing supportive shoes every day
• Icing the bottom of your foot
• Arch, Achilles tendon, and calf stretches

While you won’t get immediate relief from plantar fasciitis exercises, the efforts you make at home support the treatment plan that Dr. Kazmer prescribes for you. Keep the goal in mind of alleviating plantar fasciitis pain long term, without surgery, and over several months, your feet should be less of a source of discomfort. 

Living with plantar fasciitis can be extremely uncomfortable, but with expert care, you can enjoy lasting relief from heel pain. Give one of our Chicagoland offices a call, or book an appointment online today.