What is plantar fasciitis and how to treat it. Heel fasciitis treatment

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar ligaments at the bottom of the foot, which are located between the heel and ball of the foot, are pulled into an uncomfortable position. If the plantar fascia becomes distorted, small tears may occur in the ligaments. As a result, the ligament becomes inflamed and pain occurs, which intensifies with load on the affected leg. Plantar fasciitis typically results in mild heel pain, but sometimes an inability to walk. Only 5% of people may need surgery, while the rest can be cured with home remedies and regular physical therapy. Read on to find out what you can do to immediately relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis and about other treatment methods if the pain does not go away.

Steps

Non-medical products

Give your leg a rest. The best thing you can do for plantar fasciitis is to minimize the stress on your foot. The more you put weight on your foot, the longer it will take to heal. Also, if you feel pain, don't do it physical exercise on hard surfaces such as concrete. The best option is to run on grass or on rubber surfaces designed for various weather conditions.

Do some light stretching. Stretch your toes and shins throughout the day to help prevent tightness in your leg. By relaxing the ligaments, you can strengthen the muscles around the arch of your foot and relieve pain.

Apply ice. This way, you will reduce inflammation and relieve pain that occurs due to plantar fasciitis. Better yet, take a golf ball or a full bottle of water and put it in the freezer, after the water freezes, use the bottle to massage your foot. Massage thoroughly inner side feet to reduce inflammation and relieve tension in ligaments.

Do not use heating pads if your pain increases. Although heating pads help relieve pain for some people, heat can also cause inflammation, making symptoms worse. If you do decide to use heat to treat your symptoms, be sure to alternate heating pads with a cold compress. Always complete the treatment with a cold compress.

When you go to bed, wear a splint on your leg. It will help align your foot at a perfect 90 degree angle to your ankle and keep your toes locked together. vertical position to stretch the sole. The splint will prevent stiffness and leg cramps that can occur at night and allow you to maintain a constant stretch throughout the night.

Wear a cast on your shin. The cast will help support your leg for several weeks. This method is a little more expensive and requires constant absence of weight on the affected leg. You will also need to undergo some mild physical therapy to regain flexibility after the cast is removed.

Resort to surgery. If none of the above methods help relieve your symptoms within a year, the only treatment option for plantar fasciitis is surgery. This procedure completely relieves the stretch and inflammation in the plantar fasciitis ligaments by removing part of the ligament itself.

Plantar fasciitis – inflammatory disease plantar fascia resulting from excessive stress on the feet and/or injury. Develops gradually. It is typical for people of middle and older age, in most cases women. The pathology is more common on one foot, but over time, inflammatory and degenerative processes affect the other limb.

The plantar fascia is an area connective tissue, connecting the heel bone and toes. It forms and supports the arch of the foot, so when walking and standing, the entire load falls on it. Influenced negative factors Microtraumas occur in the plantar fascia, which can go away on their own, or can, accumulating, lead to inflammation - plantar fasciitis.

Ignoring the symptoms will lead to further disruption of the trophism of surrounding tissues. This may cause growth ( heel spurs) on calcaneus, which will further aggravate the person’s condition.

Causes and risk factors

The reasons for the development of plantar fasciitis are the following:

• increased body weight;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• flat feet;
• prolonged stress on the legs, for example, standing work;
• high arch of the foot;
• sports activities;
• foot injury;
• wrong shoes.

Risk factors include age, as they occur in the joints and tissues of the musculoskeletal system. degenerative changes. Women spend more time on their feet than men, so they are at greater risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

The disease can also develop during pregnancy, as the load on the legs increases. In addition, a number of diseases such as gout or diabetes, also become provoking factors of pathology.

Signs and symptoms of the disease

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain. They are characterized by:

• worsening after prolonged walking or standing;
• In the morning, after waking up, it hurts to step on your heel;
• worsens in the evening;
• can be localized not only in the foot area, but also in the fingers, muscle tissue shins.

Visually, there may be swelling and hyperemia at the site of inflammation. Other symptoms of the disease are gradually added:

• cramps in the foot and leg;
• limited mobility;
• lameness;
• foot deformity.

The inflammatory process is very rarely accompanied by fever or intoxication, therefore general health, as a rule, does not suffer. However, pain that increases over time and gradual tissue destruction greatly reduces the quality of life.

Diagnostics

Typically, the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis is made based on the patient’s complaints and initial examination doctor (orthopedist, surgeon, therapist). You need to be prepared to tell the specialist about such points related to the course of the disease, such as: the time when pain occurs most often, injuries (even minor ones), the nature of the work, and others.

The doctor will definitely prescribe an x-ray or MRI to find out that the symptoms are not related to another disease. It happens that it is at this moment that the patient learns about the existence of a heel spur ( bone growth). It is also possible to carry out ultrasound examination. It shows swelling of the fascial tissue.

In addition to the above, to assess the condition nerve cells and muscle tissue, a specialist can direct you to a number of tests. They will show the level of muscle tone, reflex conductivity and other indicators that will help adjust treatment tactics.

Medical therapy

Treatment of plantar fasciitis is long and complex. Treatment tactics depends on the degree of development of the disease. If at the earliest stage you can get by with home treatment, consisting of folk remedies, gymnastics and massage, then later it is indicated medicinal form injections, or surgical (in as a last resort). The duration of therapy can reach 2 years.

Traditional medicine

Among medicines NSAIDs are preferred. They are prescribed, most often, in the form of ointments, gels, and tablets. However, they can also be used in the form of injections. These are, for example, diclofenac, indomethacin and their analogues, and others.

In addition to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, difficult cases Corstisteroid courses are indicated. Such medications cannot be used independently; they are used only as prescribed by a doctor. It is possible to administer injections directly into the sole. This makes it possible to quickly get rid of pain. However, it is often not used, since the method contributes to the destruction of the fascia.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Physiotherapy procedures are aimed at eliminating swelling and inflammation, accelerating tissue regeneration, restoring trophism, nerve conduction and other processes. In the treatment of plantar fasciitis, methods such as:

• ultraphonophoresis;
• laser radiation;
• a magnetic field;
• shock wave therapy;
• paraffin therapy and others.

Massage is actively used as one of the methods of physiotherapy. It improves the mobility of the ligamentous, muscular and joint apparatus, enhances blood and lymph flow in damaged tissues. Massage sessions go well with gymnastic exercises.

ethnoscience

Traditional medicine, like official medicine, has a large arsenal of means and methods for treating plantar fasciitis. Basically, these are external remedies: ointments made independently, compresses, lotions, applications, baths.

ATTENTION! A greater effect can be achieved if you combine several procedures at the same time. For example, after a bath, apply ointment. The area can be wrapped in cellophane and then wrapped.

The following recipes can be used to treat plantar fasciitis:

• steam your feet for half an hour in a strong saline solution;
• keep your feet in a solution of soda and iodine for 10 minutes (per liter you need 7-10 grams of bicarbonate and 10 drops of iodine):
• take vodka, vinegar (12%), turpentine - mix everything in equal quantities, keep the foot in the mixture until it cools;
• steam the crushed cinquefoil root with boiling water for a couple of hours, and then apply it in the form of a paste to the affected area overnight as a compress;
• pour elderberry berries with alcohol, rub the sole of the foot with the tincture, wrap the heel warmly after the procedure.

Before use traditional methods need to remember the possibility allergic reaction for plant and other compounds, and first test on a small area of ​​skin.

Orthopedic devices

Use of orthopedic devices – important condition effective treatment heel fasciitis. For example, before going to bed you need to wear a special orthosis. This is a kind of shoe or boot that helps stretch the fascia while a person is resting.

You should also purchase orthopedic insoles, and not on one injured leg, but on both. Arch supports support the arch of the foot and ease the load on the tissue. They can be ordered individually at specialized centers.

Physiotherapy

The key to successful influence physical therapy- in its regularity. The exercises should be performed several times a day. Be sure to do it in the morning and at night. They not only help stretch the fascia, but also strengthen and increase its elasticity. This helps relieve pain and prevents foot injury.

There are different exercises aimed at treating plantar fasciitis, some of them are presented below.

1. Take an ice bottle or a small ball and roll it with your foot on the floor without lifting your legs.
2. While sitting, place your foot firmly on the floor. Using your hands, pull your thumb upward towards your shin.
3. While lying down or half-sitting, pull your toe towards you. You can do it without support, either with your hands, or using a cloth.
4. Perform circular movements with your feet in an extended leg position.

IMPORTANT! In order not to further injure your foot, you need to do each exercise a little, but often. 2-4 sets of 30 seconds will be enough.

After performing the exercises, you need to apply tape to your leg. This is a special elastic band that promotes a fixed position of the fascia and provides its support.

Surgery as a last resort method of therapy

Surgery to treat plantar fasciitis is last resort. It is used only when the pain becomes unbearable, degenerative processes develop rapidly, and conservative methods for at least six months they do not bring relief.

The operation is most often performed using endoscopic equipment. With this approach, healing occurs faster and the process is easier to tolerate. When performing manipulations, the surgeon can make a partial incision in the fascia in the area of ​​the heel bone or completely cut it off.

Surgery helps eliminate pain only in 70-75% of cases. In other patients, pain does not disappear. In addition, this approach has a high risk of complications: damage to nerve fibers, development of a tumor (neuroma), infection, and others.

Forecast

At the right approach The prognosis for plantar fasciitis is favorable for treatment. If symptoms are ignored, treatment requires great physical, moral and material costs. Therefore, you need to contact a specialist in a timely manner.

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain in adults. People call this condition “ heel spur", which is not entirely true. In fact, a “heel spur” is one of the manifestations of the disease, and not every patient develops this complication. How to properly treat this disease?

What is fascia?

Before we talk about the symptoms and treatment of plantar fasciitis, we should understand what role fascia plays in the body. Without understanding where it is localized pathological process, it will be difficult to choose the optimal treatment regimen. In medicine, fascia is the connective tissue membrane that covers all the muscles of our body. By creating a durable case, they hold the muscles in the desired position, and also provide their blood supply and innervation. All the vessels and nerves pass inside the fascial sheath - and only in such conditions can the muscles fully perform their function.

Plantar aponeurosis is a thickening of the plantar fascia in its middle part. It is in this area that most often develops inflammatory process. At the edges the aponeurosis is attached to. This formation acts as a sheath for the muscles and ligaments of the sole - and is one of the most vulnerable areas in this part of the body.

Fasciitis: causes and mechanisms of development

Inflammation of the plantar aponeurosis is medically called plantar fasciitis. Constant tension on the ligaments inevitably leads to damage to the heel bone and the occurrence of microscopic tears in the fascia at its attachment points. Over time, the ruptures increase, leading to swelling of the soft tissues and the development of severe pain.

Plantar fasciitis occurs when exposed to the following unfavorable factors:

• heredity;
• flat feet;
• constant long walk;
• excess body weight;
• uncomfortable shoes.

Fasciitis in the sole area often develops in people who practice race walking, as well as in ballerinas. In addition to athletes, middle-aged people with metabolic disorders suffer from this pathology. According to statistics, men get sick much more often than the fair sex.

The symptoms of this disease are quite typical and are not difficult to diagnose. The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is considered to be sharp pain while walking. Usually pain syndrome localized in the area of ​​the inner edge of the foot. Fasciitis of the sole makes itself felt in the morning or at daytime after a long rest. With severe stress or long walking discomfort intensify, forcing the patient to stop moving.

If you experience foot pain, consult a doctor!

Symptoms of fasciitis usually affect both feet, but unilateral damage is possible. As the disease progresses, the plantar aponeurosis thickens and adheres to the skin. There are significant restrictions on the mobility of the foot, which worsen the patient’s quality of life. At this stage, many athletes have to retire from professional sports or seriously engage in treatment for the disease.

- one of the most frequent complications plantar fasciitis. As the disease progresses over many months, growths form on the heel bone. These growths are deposits of calcium salts. no different from the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

To accurately diagnose the pathology, it is necessary to carry out X-ray examination feet. A characteristic symptom – the presence of a heel spur – greatly facilitates the diagnosis. Fasciitis is treated by a surgeon in a clinic setting. Hospitalization for this disease is usually not required.

How to treat plantar fasciitis?

Treatment of the disease should begin immediately after diagnosis. Timely therapy gives most patients a chance of recovery. Within just a few months from the start of treatment, patients feel the pain in the foot go away and the previous mobility in the joints returns. Plantar fasciitis is not a death sentence, and if you follow all the doctor’s recommendations, within six months you have a chance to return to a full active life.

For severe pain in the foot area, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. These products quickly relieve swelling and also eliminate any discomfort when moving. The duration of treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs should not be more than 5 days. If there is no effect, it is recommended to consult a doctor to review the selected therapy regimen.

Good results in the treatment of plantar fasciitis have been observed from physiotherapy. Most often, the aponeurosis is exposed to laser beams. Ultrasound thermotherapy also relieves inflammation. Heel spurs are destroyed using the shock wave technique. This method increases blood flow to the affected organ, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the plantar aponeurosis. The average course of physiotherapy lasts from 5 to 10 days. If necessary, therapy can be repeated at intervals of one month.

Treatment of fascial inflammation is not complete without massage. You can contact a professional massage therapist, or you can do light foot rubbing at home. Massage must alternate with therapeutic gymnast. Pay attention to the following selection of exercises.

1. Stand at a distance of 30-40 cm from the wall. Place your hands on the wall and place one foot in front of the other. As you bend your front leg at the knee, feel the calf muscle stretch. Do 4 approaches for each limb.
2. Stand on the bottom step of the stairs with your feet apart. Place your feet so that your heel hangs slightly. Lower and raise your heel while holding onto the railing. Do the exercise 6 times.
3. Roll the rolling pin over the entire arch of your foot.
4. Sit on the floor keeping your back straight. Extend your legs in front of you and hold them in this position for at least 30 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

If conservative treatment does not pay within 6 months desired result, the patient is recommended surgery. The essence of the technique is to intersect the plantar aponeurosis and remove the exostosis (“heel spur”). It is worth noting that if you follow all the doctor’s recommendations, in most cases it is possible to do without surgical treatment.

Comfortable shoes are very important in preventing foot diseases

Disease prevention

Plantar fasciitis can be prevented by following these guidelines:

• proper selection of shoes (especially for sports);
• use of special orthopedic insoles;
• adequate physical activity;
• body weight control.

Remember that treating persistent fasciitis becomes much more difficult every year. If you experience foot pain, do not delay visiting a doctor. Do not self-medicate - entrust your health to qualified specialists!

There are sensations of stiffness in the legs, pain in the heel pierces the arch of the foot - symptoms indicating familiarity with plantar fasciitis. The disease is caused by an inflammatory process in overstrained ligaments and muscle fibers of the lower part of the foot.

The pathology develops slowly, initially early stages, does not loudly declare itself. Over time, intensity pain increases, and the pain intensifies in the morning, when you wake up, get out of bed and take your first steps.

Long rest does not bring the expected relief to tired legs; tension and pain continue to “torment” the patient.

Etiology

The term fascia called the fibrous connective tissue membrane covering muscle fibers, tendons, ligaments, bones, nerve bundles.

Plantar fascia - a connecting link connecting the heel bone (the largest of the “ bone apparatus” foot) with metatarsals, providing the necessary bending required for stability during movement.

Inflammation of the fascia provokes pain in the arch of the foot. The heel area is especially susceptible to inflammatory attacks - the area of ​​“attachment” of the plantar (plantar) fascia to the heel tubercle.

The result of similar pathological disorders- obvious change in gait, up to the development of lameness. Later, the pain begins to bother you even at rest.

List of etiological (causal) factors that served as catalysts for the development of inflammation of the plantar fascia:

• Excessive overexertion - long walking, prolonged standing, increased intensity of sports.
• Excess weight - almost every second kilogram puts pressure on you, creating an increased load. The natural result is the emergence severe overvoltage, the appearance of micro-tears that can go away on their own, without the use of therapeutic measures. However, if the loads are systematically exceeded, an aseptic start (without participation pathogenic microorganisms) the inflammatory process around the heel bone is inevitable.
• Age - over the years, blood circulation processes deteriorate, cell restoration occurs more slowly. The thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue in the area decreases heels.
• Genetic predisposition - some people have a naturally high arch. The plantar fascia is always “tight, like a bowstring,” and flattening of the foot caused by excessive loads leads to injury, followed by inflammation.
• Valgus deformity thumb feet - a signal indicating “approaching” plantar fasciitis.
• People who wear tight, uncomfortable shoes can develop inflammation. high heel. Pain can begin due to flat feet, turning the foot inward when walking.

In addition to those mentioned above, the following are recognized as being involved in the appearance of heel pain:

• Physical injuries - fractures, sprains.
• Inflammatory joint diseases - the load on the injured leg is minimal, the healthy leg experiences noticeable overload, and inflammation occurs.

Diseases against which foot fasciitis can develop:

• gout
• gonorrhea
• chlamydia
• diabetes

Symptoms

The basic symptom signaling problems is heel pain. The pain is so intense that for a competent doctor (traumatologist, orthopedist), there are no particular difficulties in making a diagnosis.

Pain can manifest itself in different ways:

• after a long (incommensurate with the level of training) walking
• especially sharp in the morning, when getting out of bed, or after a long rest, and in the evening the increasing intensity forces the use of a cane
• the favorite localization point is the heel, but recoil (convulsions) is felt in calf muscles, toes

In addition, the list of signs is supplemented by:

• deformation of the foot (due to excessive loads, micro-trauma), which partially loses mobility
• visually, hyperemia of the skin is recorded at the affected area
• the affected fascia is prone to swelling, and swelling is possible

The formation of a bone growth in the heel area, causing inflammation of the “adjacent” tendons - negative consequence plantar fasciitis.

Treatment of foot fasciitis

A doctor can correctly diagnose the extent of the problem and choose the right treatment regimen. Independent selection of therapeutic measures is categorically unacceptable.

The doctor, having collected an anamnesis (after listening to the patient’s complaints about the current condition), will conduct a visual examination. Then, in order to determine the area of ​​localization of pain, a palpation examination of the problem area is carried out. The patient is sent for an x-ray.

The task of any therapeutic process is to eliminate the causes that were catalysts for the pathological disorder.

Key treatment goals:

• minimizing inflammation, reducing pain
• restoration of ligaments (healing of micro-tears) of the plantar connective membrane attacked by fasciitis
• increasing the elasticity of connective ligaments, eliminating existing foot defects (deflection)
• return to normal activities of daily living (without mobility restrictions)

Started on time adequate treatment treatment of plantar fasciitis can, after one and a half to two months, bring the expected positive result.

Regular healing procedures, in 90% of cases, lead to a noticeable improvement in the patient’s well-being. So, what needs to be done to relieve swelling and inflammation?

Help sore ligaments feet able:

• rest
• massage
• comfortable shoes
• orthopedic insoles

Let's talk about them in more detail.

Minimize the load on the problem area of ​​the foot, no running, intense movement, or active sports. Give your feet enough time to rest.

• Pre-freeze filled with water plastic bottle. Then place the frozen container under your foot. Slowly begin massaging the heel area by rolling the bottle back and forth.
• Freeze a paper cup of water. Then, without haste, with uniform circular movements, begin to massage the sore area with the end of the resulting “ice pyramid”. The duration of the procedure is ten minutes.
• using ice, requires an appropriately sized tray. Fill with water, then add crushed ice, immerse your feet for ten minutes. Neoprene finger guards provide protection from hypothermia. If they are absent, the procedure is unacceptable.
• The following recipe calls for a small plastic bag filled with crushed ice. After wrapping it in a towel, apply it to the problem area for a quarter of an hour.

Using heating pads and hot compresses to relieve inflammation not suitable because thermal procedures can aggravate the painful manifestations of plantar fasciitis.

For a person suffering from muscle pain in the heels, the issue of choosing shoes becomes extremely relevant.

Properly selected comfortable shoes will relieve stress from muscle ligaments weakened by the disease.

Purchase insoles-instep supports from the pharmacy that will allow you to support the deformed one, preventing further development of the inflammatory process.

Shoes must be chosen with soft soles that can absorb the shock impact on the foot while walking.

Sports shoes (sneakers) are the best option in such a situation.

For plantar fasciitis, the use of orthopedic insoles (individually ordered) is indicated, their advantages:

• straighten the foot
• reduce pressure when walking

When ongoing therapeutic efforts do not bring the expected improvement, the treatment regimen can be expanded to other ways to combat plantar fasciitis.

Before going to bed, the patient is given a special splint that fixes the foot with the toes up, creating a comfortable/mild stretch of the plantar ligaments.

Put on the ankle plaster cast. The disadvantages of this method include the time required for recovery. motor activity, after removing the plaster. The positive thing is that the affected foot is given proper rest.

If necessary, the doctor can intensify treatment by prescribing injections of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The injection will quickly “pacify” the raging inflammatory process, the pain will subside, and the elasticity of the ligaments will increase.

C and ligaments require a complex fight, therefore, in addition to the non-surgical methods mentioned above, it is worth mentioning the use local funds to relieve pain:

• compresses
• balms
• rubbing
• cream
• medicinal baths

Let's talk separately about two components, the use of which has a healing effect.

Natural shark oil- helps eliminate swelling, reduces inflammation. Contains squalamine, a substance physiological properties which is a “powerful” antibiotic.

Comfrey - medicinal plant(perennial), among the indications for use:

• fractures
• joint diseases
• salt deposits in cartilage tissue

A pre-crushed comfrey leaf is applied to the affected area, although a cream sold in a pharmacy is considered a more convenient option. Rub into the heel area before going to bed, then wrap the foot in a dry warming bandage.

Folk remedies against heel spurs include:

• magnesium salt
• medical bile
• mixture mountain wax with paraffin

Operation

If there is no positive dynamics with conservative treatment options, the doctor may recommend surgery.

Among the options offered:

• endoscopic surgery
• minimally invasive dissection of the plantar fascia - minimal trauma

The rehabilitation period ranges from several days to 2-3 weeks.

Prevention

Heel pain, caused by inflammation of the corresponding muscles and ligaments, can occur in any person. Various factors act as catalysts:

• age
• Lifestyle
• hereditary predisposition

It is impossible to guarantee “insure” the feet from such troubles, however, significantly reducing the risks of developing plantar fasciitis is a feasible task.

• Pay attention to the floors you have to walk on - stone, concrete, which negatively affect the “well-being” of your feet.
• Keep your feet comfortable - wear comfortable shoes.
• Do not remain in a static position (sitting/standing) for a long time.
• Avoid sports that overload the ligaments lower limbs. Going to the pool is a good alternative.
• Based on your doctor’s recommendations, select orthopedic insoles (silicone) and use special heel pads. Such a measure will reduce the load, strengthen the ligaments, and prevent micro-tears and the development of flat feet.
• Compulsory preventive condition to prevent inflammation, it is believed therapeutic exercises - faithful companion body on the road to recovery.
• If you are overweight, you will need to adjust your diet.

Plantar fasciitis often affects those who regularly spend all day on their feet, putting their feet at risk. Remember that a heel spur does not suddenly appear. A timely and competent diagnosis and timely treatment will help protect the feet from inflammation and pain.

Take an interest in health, goodbye.

Plantar fasciitis of the foot is an inflammatory process that affects soft fabrics in the area of ​​attachment of the plantar aponeurosis to the heel. The disease has international classification according to ICD. Its code-10 means that the disease relates to muscle pathologies, as well as skeletal system, connective tissues.

When accumulated in heel area calcium salts form osteophytes, growths, causing pain. The discomfort periodically disappears, then intensifies with physical activity.

Causes of the disease

The following negative factors can provoke pathology:

• obesity;
• gout;
• improper walking;
• increased mechanical stress on the legs;
• long distance running;
• flat feet;
• high arch of the foot;
• sedentary lifestyle.

The causes of inflammation can be caused by wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes.

The disease can provoke professional activity. Factory workers, hairdressers, athletes, dancers and surgeons are most often diagnosed with fasciitis. However, the cause of the pathological process may also have a different origin. Older people (45–65 years old) are at risk. Females are more susceptible to the disease.

In this video, Elena Malysheva talks about fasciitis and methods of treating it:

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis

The signs of the disease are typical. Based on the symptoms, you can easily make a diagnosis. In patients with right or left fasciitis, the following are noted: characteristic symptoms diseases:

• sharp pain in the morning in the heel area after trying to get out of bed;
• the sole becomes uncomfortable when the mechanical load on it increases;
• pain syndrome appears in the foot when standing in an upright position or due to prolonged sitting.

Which doctor should I contact?

If you have constant discomfort in your feet or the presence of a heel spur, you should visit a doctor. It is advisable to contact a therapist first. The doctor will prescribe the necessary laboratory and instrumental examinations.

Further assistance will be provided by an orthopedist, if the clinic has one on staff. He deals with pathologies of joints, bones and ligaments. Treatment of plantar fasciitis is part of the main specialization of such a doctor. The plantar type of pathology, in particular, its changes can also be treated by a physiotherapist.

Each of these doctors gets acquainted with the patient’s medical history, studies the results of tests and diagnostics. Depending on the data obtained and the characteristics of the patient, the doctor prescribes the necessary course of treatment.

Diagnostics

To determine the type of disease, the patient may be prescribed the following measures:

• MRI of the foot;
• radiography;

The main condition for successful treatment is the use of a whole range of healing actions. It includes taking pills, physiological procedures and traditional recipes.

Treatment of the disease

Drug therapy involves the use of special means. The medication course is based on the use of drugs that are classified as NSAIDs. They are available in the form of gels, tablets and ointments.

Also necessary special gymnastics which you can watch in the video:

Traditional medicine

The most common representatives of this class are the following drugs:

• Ortofen;
• Nurofen;
• Diclofenac;
• Voltaren.

Any of the drugs for damage to ligaments and feet should be taken only after meals if it is in tablet form. Taking the medicine on an empty stomach is strictly prohibited. Treatment carried out using creams and ointments does not require any special restrictions. Medicines must be applied to the affected area. This home course of therapy can be carried out independently.

If a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug does not help positive result, you need to use corticosteroid drugs. Give injections or take tablets only as directed by your doctor. If you do not adhere to certain regimens for taking these medications, they will provoke heel bone disorders. This reaction often becomes the cause of various complications.

Physiotherapy

In addition to the internal impact on the pathological process, it is also necessary to use certain procedures. These activities help remove inflammatory reaction from the fascia, ensure normalization of metabolism in the affected joint.

We list some of the prescribed procedures:

• ultrasound;
• therapy with a device that provides shock wave effects.

You can even be treated with mud applications with natural bioactive components. Laser may be prescribed to treat the disease.

Inflammation of tissues, as well as pain relief, are relieved using the following procedures:

• applying ice;
• massage manipulations;
• use of Botox;
• organizing warm baths;
• gymnastics;
• rubbing with warming ointments against inflammation;
• taking analgesics - Ibuprofen, Naproxen.

Treatment with folk remedies

As an additional tool for influencing the affected heel, treatment should be organized at home using people's councils. You can make a compress of honey or buy bile. Effective way the fight against plantar fasciitis are:

• hot potatoes that need to be mashed;
• grated horseradish;
• thoroughly crushed garlic;
• petrolatum.

A tincture of red elderberry, which should be used for rubbing, is recognized as a useful product for this pathology. To prepare it, you need to take the berries, pour alcohol into them and leave for 2 weeks in a place where there are no ultraviolet rays. A tincture of sunflower pulp has a similar effect.

People's experience shows the effectiveness of such measures - an adult is able to feel relief 8 months after treatment. However, in order to cure the pathology correctly and without complications, it is necessary to include the entire range of health procedures.

If, after using ointment, Dimexide, patch, massage, training, Bubnovsky exercises and taking pills, the patient’s condition does not improve, he should immediately contact a doctor, who will probably prescribe surgery.

Last resort

After surgical intervention Elastic stickers are recommended for a person to help reduce heel load.

Prevention

Prevention of plantar fasciitis involves wearing comfortable shoes with a special insole. For sports activities and home use you need to change your shoes, because when worn for a long time, the shoes no longer support the foot.

If excess weight becomes a provocateur of fasciitis, you need to lose weight. This will help special diet, as well as daily exercise.