Plantar fasciitis gets a lot of questions in our clinic. People want to know why their heel hurts, why it’s worse at certain times, and whether they’re going to need surgery. That last one has a short answer. It’s almost always no. Here are the questions we hear most and what we tell people.
Why Does It Hurt the Most When I Get Out of Bed?
The plantar fascia is a strip of tough tissue on the bottom of your foot. One end is anchored to your heel. When it’s irritated, that anchor spot is where you feel it. Overnight your foot rests with the toes pointed, and the tissue tightens up some. The first step in the morning yanks on it before it’s had a chance to loosen. After you walk around the kitchen for a few minutes, it usually calms down. Sitting at a desk for an hour can do the same thing.
Did I Do Something to Cause This?
Maybe, but probably not one thing. We often hear that the pain started a few weeks after something new. A new walking routine is a common one. So is a job on a concrete floor, or a few months of hikes up in the foothills. Other things that add to it include:
- Tight calf muscles
- Old shoes that have gone flat
- Flat feet or very high arches
- Gaining some weight
- Being in your 40s or 50s
What Will Treatment Involve?
First we look at the foot, test how far your ankle bends, and watch you walk. A lot of people have tighter calves than they realize, and that matters because the calf connects to the heel.
Then we start working. You’ll learn a few stretches for the calf and the arch. You’ll do some strength exercises for your foot, which can be as simple as picking up a towel with your toes. We’ll talk about shoes, and maybe an insert. Some people sleep with a night splint for a while. It looks a little odd, but it keeps the tissue stretched overnight, and those first steps get easier. We may also do hands-on work on the calf and the bottom of the foot.
When Will It Get Better?
It’s slow. Most people notice mornings getting easier within several weeks. A full recovery takes a few months. The people who do best are the ones who keep up the stretches at home, even on the days it feels fine. If you’ve been at it for months with no progress, we’ll look at other options with you.
Let’s Fix That Heel
If your heel has been sore for a while, come see our team at Modern Medicine of Oro Valley, AZ. We’ll figure out what’s going on and help you get it feeling better without surgery.
