The sole of the foot is important — have you ever wondered why it hurts? If walking starts to become painful and your soles are the problem, you should take the time to find out what the issue is.
Plantar Fasciitis
Of course, not always, but in many cases, the pain in the sole of the foot may be due to complications in the plantar fascia. This is a thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone (calcaneus) with the toes, creating the tension that forms the arch of the foot. The initial inflammation of this tissue is called plantar fasciitis or simply: fasciitis. If the plantar fascia becomes inflamed, it can cause a sharp pain in the sole of the foot. Usually, the highest level of pain occurs in the early morning with the first steps or after exercise. Ironically, the pain is not so intense during physical activity but appears during the “cool-down” afterward.
Risk Factors
While plantar fasciitis can occur without an obvious cause, some factors that increase the risk of developing plantar fasciitis include:
- Age: plantar fasciitis is more common between 40 and 60 years old.
- Certain types of exercise: activities that put a lot of stress on the heel and attached tissues (such as long-distance running, jumping activities, ballet, and aerobic dance) may contribute to early onset of plantar fasciitis.
- Foot anatomy: flat feet, high arches, or even abnormal walking patterns can affect how weight is distributed while standing and may overload stress on the plantar fascia.
- Obesity: excess weight produces additional stress on the plantar fascia.
- Jobs that require standing: factory workers, teachers, and others who stand or walk on hard surfaces for most of their workday may suffer damage to the plantar fascia.
Complications
Ignoring plantar fasciitis can cause chronic heel pain that hinders normal activities. Changing the way you walk to relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis can cause problems in the foot, knee, hip, or back.
Treatments
- Warm-up: perform warm-up and specific stretches for the sole of the foot before physical activity (running, jumping, etc.).
- Footwear: choosing the right footwear is also important for preventing plantar fasciitis. It should be comfortable, provide proper arch support, and good cushioning for impact.
- Cryotherapy: in the first days, ice can be applied to the painful area 3 to 4 times a day for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Treatment with NSAIDs and analgesics: taking ibuprofen, paracetamol, or similar medication can help combat pain.
- Ultrasound application: this treatment can be applied in the post-acute phase, 48 hours after the onset of acute pain.
- Massage: massaging the affected area helps reduce swelling and muscle spasm.
- Special insoles: using shock-absorbing, offloading, or custom insoles can help reduce pain, especially in the acute phase.
If the previous techniques do not yield satisfactory results, foot surgery may be considered a treatment for plantar fasciitis, although it carries significant risks and may not completely eliminate the problem.
Who is most prone?
Plantar fasciitis is very common between the ages of 40 and 60 due to wear and tear. Sports and activities that generate excessive tension on the heel can also lead to fasciitis, for example: long-distance running, activities involving jumps, ballet, and aerobic dance.
It is essential to pay attention to fasciitis and start treatment immediately to relieve symptoms and eliminate the cause of inflammation before it worsens and causes chronic heel pain, further limiting mobility.
Causes
The tissue that forms the plantar fascia is usually affected if the foot anatomy has issues such as flat feet or high arches due to overexposure to the surface we step on in the first case and increased tension in the second case. If you have a normal arch but often run or walk long distances downhill or on uneven surfaces, you are also prone to fasciitis due to the overload generated in the tissue.
Weight gain also contributes to plantar fascia wear. The same applies to excessive tension in the Achilles tendon. Using footwear with poor arch support or soles that are too soft can also accelerate wear that eventually inflames the fascia tissue and causes the sharp pain known as fasciitis.
Insoles
For plantar fasciitis, the use of special orthopedic insoles is recommended to cushion the step and reduce tension on the plantar fascia once the acute phase is overcome, thus preventing tissue relapse and the return of chronic pain.
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