Plantar Fasciitis

One of the most common foot conditions we see in our office is plantar fasciitis. This is a condition in which an individual typically presents with heel pain, described as sharp or stabbing. The pain is usually worst first thing in the morning, but is also painful with long periods of standing or going from seated to a standing position.

Plantar fasciitis is defined as inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a thick band of tissue that spans the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes. This tissue helps support the arches of your feet and keeps your foot more stable while walking.

While plantar fasciitis is often thought to be prominent in athletes, there are many potential causes:

• Activity- running is oftentimes seen as a cause of plantar fasciitis due to the repetitive stress put on the heel and foot
• Weight- increased weight causes increased pressure on the foot
• Foot structure- individuals with fallen arches, or flat feet, have decreased support in the foot
• Occupation- working on your feet for long hours a day, especially on hard surfaces, causes more stress on your heel
• Shoes- noticing increased pain with changing shoes could mean that your shoes are lacking support for your foot

At Arvada Sport and Spine Group, we offer many potential treatments for plantar fasciitis. In order to loosen the tissue, our providers can use trigger point dry needling, trigger point injections, soft tissue therapy, and therapeutic exercises/stretches. If your plantar fasciitis is caused by the lack of arches in your foot, an orthotic might be beneficial- in our office, we use a scanner that scans your individual feet to create an orthotic specifically made for you. We know that plantar fasciitis can be a literal pain, so let us help you get back on your feet!