Professional athletes such as retired San Antonio Spurs player Tim Duncan have dealt with foot pain from a partially torn plantar fascia. Many can end up on the injured list putting a screeching halt to what would have been a successful season for the whole team.
Plantar fascia tears are a common result of plantar fasciitis. Your plantar fascia extends from your toes to your heel bone. When the band of tissue has been constantly stretched it can end up having microtears throughout the body of tissue and these tears can cause a lot of pain and inflammation. A partially torn plantar fascia can be an issue for a patient due to some fibers still holding on that are stretching and tearing throughout the day.
So, how can we treat this condition? For plantar fasciitis, the best initial form of treatment is stretching and sound mechanical control offered by quality running shoes. By stretching your calf and the plantar fascia, you can loosen up this band of tissue to where it is not as tight and the tissue can move with more flexibility. Another treatment option is steroid shots combined with stretching, because the steroid shot will stop the inflammation cycle and allow you to be able to do the stretches more comfortably. Custom orthotics are a great treatment option because they can take the stress off of the band of tissue and provide long term relief. Finally, if all other treatment options fail, surgery is the final step for treatment.
Heel pain is not something to be taken lightly, it can affect your everyday performance. If you notice you are having heel pain, it is important that you seek care from your podiatrist so that your plantar fasciitis can be treated before it becomes a chronic more difficult condition to treat. At Barrett Podiatry we strive to remedy plantar fasciitis before it becomes a chronic condition.