Plantar fasciitis can be described as a condition in which the heel of the foot becomes inflamed with pain. This occurs when the fibrous band of tissues that connect your heel to your toe becomes infected. There are several solutions for treating plantar fasciitis. The first recommended tip is to go see your podiatrist. Consider taking over-the-counter calcium and magnesium supplements to help with managing your foot pain. Ice the bottom of your feet, stretch your calves, and massage your feet often to help reduce inflammation and pain.

Plantar fasciitis can be very painful and inconvenient. If you have any concerns about your feet contact one of our podiatrists of New England Foot & Ankle Specialists. Our doctors will treat your foot and ankle needs.  

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, known as the plantar fascia, and causes mild to severe heel pain.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

·      Excessive running

·      Non-supportive shoes

·      Overpronation

·      Repeated stretching and tearing of the plantar fascia

How Can It Be Treated?

·      Conservative measures – anti-inflammatories, ice packs, stretching exercises, physical therapy, orthotic devices

·      Shockwave therapy – sound waves are sent to the affected area to facilitate healing and are usually used for chronic cases of plantar fasciitis

·      Surgery – usually only used as a last resort when all else fails. The plantar fascia can be surgically detached from the heel

While very treatable, plantar fasciitis is definitely not something that should be ignored. Especially in severe cases, speaking to your doctor right away is highly recommended to avoid complications and severe heel pain. Your podiatrist can work with you to provide the appropriate treatment options tailored to your condition.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our offices located in Reading, MA. We offer the newest diagnostic tools and technologies to treat your foot and ankle needs.

Read more about Plantar Fasciitis

With all the extra standing and walking during the holiday season, any pain in the foot becomes a more debilitating problem.  Sufferers of plantar fasciitis usually experience sharp, stabbing pains in their heels. This pain is usually at its worst in the morning when you take your first steps but you may notice it too after you have been standing on line at the mall for an extended period of time or after sitting through the company holiday party and then getting up.

What’s Behind the Pain

There’s a band of connective tissue in your foot that stretches from your heel bone across the arch and whole bottom of the foot to the base of your toes. When this band of tissue becomes inflamed, the heel and arch pain of plantar fasciitis is the result. At New England Foot & Ankle Specialists, we see patients with plantar fasciitis that stems from several sources: being overweight; flat feet or overly high arches that put extra stress on the plantar fascia; jobs that require long hours of standing (particularly on hard surfaces); exercise such as running or power walking, especially if the patient’s foot tends to overpronate, which means it rolls inward excessively.

Left untreated, plantar fasciitis can become extremely disabling because the pain will prevent you from walking normally and limit your activity. In compensating to avoid the pain, you may end up damaging your knees, back or hips, creating additional medical problems.

What Can Be Done

The good news is that most people respond to conservative treatment for this condition. One of our podiatrists: Dr. George A. Abboud, Dr. Brian D. Tedesco, Dr. Carl Conui or Dr. Kimberly Thurmond will first conduct a complete examination of your foot and ask you questions about the pain and other symptoms. X-rays or other imaging tests may be ordered to rule out foot disorders with similar symptoms.

Once the foot doctor has confirmed the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, rest, icing and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications may be recommended initially to relieve the pain and inflammation. Other treatment options may include any or all of the following:

• Stretching exercises
• Orthotics—to correct the faulty foot structure and/or arch problem that may be causing the plantar fasciitis; in some instances padding will be recommended to act as a shock absorber
• Night splints—to help keep the plantar fascia stretched overnight; strapping during the day may also help
• Physical Therapy

In extreme cases where other therapies do not bring relief, surgery may be required. To find out how to get relief from your heel pain, make an appointment to come into either our Reading office by calling (781) 944-4044.

Do you suffer from bunions, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, or Achilles tendonitis? These are just a few of many common foot conditions that can be helped with orthotics. Orthotics, or orthoses, are any device that goes inside your shoes with a goal of protecting a painful or injured part of your foot or to change the mechanics of how your foot is positioned when standing or walking. In some cases, orthotics fulfill both roles. There are many kinds of orthotics and some are available over-the-counter while others are custom made. There are three basic types of orthotics:

1. Rigid Orthotics—as their name implies, these orthotics are made of a hard material, such as carbon fiber or plastic. Their primary purpose is to control the function and motion of two major joints below the ankle joint. They are made from a mold or another kind of image done by your podiatrist. Rigid orthotics are usually inserted into walking or dress shoes and can help eliminate strains and aches in the lower back, thighs, and legs.
2. Soft Orthotics—these orthotics are also made from a plaster cast mold or other image and then are constructed of cushiony materials that can be worn on the sole of the foot. Soft orthotics protect sore spots and absorb shock. This makes them effective in treating arthritic or deformed feet.
3. Semi-Rigid Orthotics—fashioned to provide increased balance and to treat flatfoot and in- or out-toeing, especially in children, these orthotics are made of alternating layers of soft and rigid materials. Semi-rigid orthotics are often used to help athletes to avoid pain when they are training or playing a sport.

Only a qualified podiatrist will know the correct orthotics to prescribe for your particular foot condition. Our podiatrists, Dr. George A. Abboud, Dr. Brian D. Tedesco, Dr. Carl Conui or Dr. Kimberly Thurmond will do a thorough examination of your foot and take a complete medical history first. Then they will be able to tell you if orthotics might be helpful for you. To learn if orthotics can help relieve your pain and discomfort, make an appointment at our Reading office today.

 Nearly 2 million people in the United States are affected by plantar fasciitis each year. While anyone can get plantar fasciitis, some say there has been an increase in recent years due to heavy sports involvement. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the band stretching from the toes to the heels and is often referred to as “heel pain syndrome.” While sports such as running seems to be a major cause of the condition, those that are often on their feet, athletes, and improper shoe wearers can all suffer. Pain from an overused fascia can go undetected for a long time until the band becomes so strained and inflamed.

Plantar fasciitis can be very painful and inconvenient. If you are experiencing heel pain or symptoms of plantar fasciitis, visit one of our podiatrists of New England Foot and Ankle Specialists. Our doctors can treat your heel pain as well as any other foot or ankle condition.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of a the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, known as the plantar fascia, and causes mild to severe heel pain.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

·      Excessive running

·      Non-supportive shoes

·      Overpronation

·      Repeated stretching and tearing of the plantar fascia

How Can It Be Treated?

·      Conservative measures – anti-inflammatories, ice packs, stretching exercises, physical therapy, orthotic devices

·      Shockwave therapy – sound waves are sent to the affected area to facilitate healing and are usually used for chronic cases of plantar fasciitis

·      Surgery – usually only used as a last resort when all else fails. The plantar fascia can be surgically detached from the heel

While very treatable, plantar fasciitis is definitely not something that should be ignored. Especially in severe cases, speaking to your doctor right away is highly recommended to avoid complications and severe heel pain. Your podiatrist can work with you to provide the appropriate treatment options tailored to your condition.

If you have any questions, please contact our offices in Reading, MA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle injuries.

Read more about Plantar Fasciitis

Scientists in China focused their study on acupuncture and how it benefits people suffering from painful foot conditions. The study shows that acupuncture is effective when it comes to treating heel pain. Acupuncture is also helpful when it comes to treating plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.

The group of scientists used sixty-six patients that were dealing with ongoing heel pain. After a six month period, the scientists found that the patients that completed the acupuncture treatment gave it an effectiveness rating of 97% while those who only used drugs were only granted a 76% rating.

Your life can greatly be affected by even simplest heel pain. If your heel hurts, see podiatrist Dr. Brian Tedesco of New England Foot & Anke Specialists. Dr. Tedesco can treat your heel pain.  

Causes of Heel Pain

● Heel pain is often associated with plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a band of tissues that extends along the bottom of the foot. A rip or tear in this ligament can cause inflammation of the tissue.

● Achilles tendonitis is another cause of heel pain. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon will cause pain from fractures and muscle tearing. Lack of flexibility is also another symptom.

● Heel spurs are another cause of pain. When the tissues of the plantar fascia undergo a great deal of stress, it can lead to ligament separation from the heel bone, causing heel spurs.

Why Might Heel Pain Occur?

- Wearing ill-fitting shoes                  

- Wearing non-supportive shoes

- Weight change           

- Excessive running

Treatments

Heel pain should be treated as soon as possible for immediate results. Keeping your feet in a stress free environment will help. If you suffer from Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, applying ice will reduce the swelling. Stretching before an exercise like running will help the muscles. Using all these tips will help make heel pain a thing of the past.

With the advancements in technology and greater knowledge of how muscles and joints work, physical therapists can turn things around dramatically.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our offices in Reading, MA. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.

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