PLANTAR FASCIITIS is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia).
The plantar fascia is a long, thin ligament that lies directly beneath the skin on the bottom of your foot. It connects the heel to the front of your foot, and supports the arch of your foot.
Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move more, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or after rising from sitting.
Risk Factors
• Tighter calf muscles that make it difficult to flex your foot and bring your toes up toward your shin
• Age. Plantar fasciitis is most common between the ages of 40 and 60
• Obesity
• Very high arch
• Repetitive impact activity (running/sports)
• New or increased activity
• Certain types of exercise. Activities that place a lot of stress on your heel and attached tissue — such as long-distance running, ballistic jumping activities, ballet dancing and aerobic dance — can contribute to an earlier onset of plantar fasciitis.
Cause
The plantar fascia is designed to absorb the high stresses and strains we place on our feet. But, sometimes, too much pressure damages or tears the tissues. The body’s natural response to injury is inflammation, which results in the heel pain and stiffness of plantar fasciitis.
Symptoms
Plan typically causes a stabbing pain in the bottom of your foot near the heel. The pain is usually the worst with the first few steps after awakening, although it can also be triggered by long periods of standing or rising from sitting. The pain is usually worse after exercise, not during it.
Although many people with plantar fasciitis have heel spurs, spurs are not the cause of plantar fasciitis pain. One out of 10 people has heel spurs, but only 1 out of 20 people (5%) with heel spurs has foot pain. Because the spur is not the cause of plantar fasciitis, the pain can be treated without removing the spur.
Complications
Ignoring plantar fasciitis may result in chronic heel pain that hinders your regular activities. Changing the way you walk to minimize plantar fasciitis pain might lead to foot, knee, hip or back problems.
Doctor Examination
Doctor will look for these signs:
• A high arch
• An area of maximum tenderness on the bottom of your foot, just in front of your heel bone
• Pain that gets worse when you flex your foot and the doctor pushes on the plantar fascia. The pain improves when you point your toes down
• Limited “up” motion of your ankle.
HOMOEOPTHIC TREATMENT
Homeopathic treatment helps in reduction of inflammation and accompanied symptoms of plantar fasciitis.
Rhus Tox is one of the best medicines for plantar fasciitis. It is indicated for cases where heel pain is worse in the mornings as one takes the first few steps and the heel pain subsides eventually.
Bryonia acts well where the heel pain worsens from walking. Patient is better by rest. There is pins and needle-like sensation in sole of foot.
Berberis Vulgaris is indicated where standing worsens heel pain. There is ulcerative pain in the heel. There is pain in balls of feet on walking.
Pulsatilla Nigricans – acts well where heel pain worsens from rising rising from a sitting position. There is boring pain in the heel that worsens in the evening. There is heel pain that comes on every time one starts walking.
Valeriana Officinalis is indicated where the heel pain gets better by walking and it gets worse by sitting.