Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

Jason Gluckman

The problem of plantar fasciitis is commonly seen among runners,
people who are overweight, people with flat feet or high arches,
or those who stand on their feet for long hours doing their
jobs. In most cases, non-surgical treatment can help a person to
get rid of the problem. The duration, as well as the nature, of
treatment may vary from one patient to the other. While it may
take six weeks for some, it might take longer than six months
for others to get effectively cured.

Treatment for plantar fasciitis should be initiated immediately
upon occurrence of the problem. This helps in getting rid of the
problem in a very short time. Delay may cause the problem to
become aggravated and may require more than six months for the
problem to heal.

Treatment in the initial stages includes adequate rest, applying
ice to the area of pain after routine activities, some gentle
stretching and strengthening exercises to relax the tissues and
anti-inflammatory medicines for relief from pain. Wearing of
night splints is also recommended to keep the tissues gently
stretched during the night to relieve the patient from the
painful experience of the first morning steps.

For some, different types of shoe insert--called orthotics--may
have to be used after evaluation of their routine activities to
lessen their pain. The shoes must, however, adequately support
the orthoses to bring about the desired results. In cases where
the patients do not respond to the conventional treatments
mentioned above, the physicians may use cortisone injections to
relieve the pain. But physicians do not often prefer cortisones
because of their noted side effects in some patients.

Doctors recommend surgery as an alternative to those patients
whose pain persists even after months of conventional treatment.
A majority of the patients have reported relief from pain after
surgery. Surgery is seen as a last resort because of its
possible complications.

In recent years, there has been an emergence of a new kind of
treatment called the Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT).
ESWT involves low-energy shockwave treatment or high-energy
shockwave treatment. The shockwave therapy stimulates the repair
process of the injured tissues and relieves the patients from
the symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

About the author:
PlantarFasciitis provides detailed information on Plantar
Fasciitis, Plantar Fasciitis Treatment, Plantar Fasciitis Shoes,
Plantar Fasciitis Surgery and more. Plantar Fasciitis is
affliated with Physical TherapySchools.