Heel Pain - Plantar Fasciitis

What have I got??
If you have got pain on the underside of your heel, which is often most intense in the morning as you take your first steps when getting out of bed, then you most likely have PLANTAR FASCIITIS

What is it ??
It is inflammation of the point where plantar fascia (a band of fibrous tissue in your sole) attach to your heel bone.
Factors that can lead to it are age, weight gain, shoes with poor arch support, prolonged standing or walking on irregular/ hard/ uneven surface.
Pain of PLANTAR FASCIITIS gets worse after inactivity (sitting/ sleeping/ resting) and gets slightly better after walking a few steps.

What can be done??
1) Rest : Avoid the precipitating activity , for example take a few days off jogging or prolonged standing/walking.
2) If the pain is intense you can apply ice to the heel area for 5 min
3) You can try a short course of anti-inflammatories like Neurofen / voltaren which are over the counter or get your doctor to prescribe a longer acting NSAID like mobic. Make sure you have it after your meal and people with asthma, hypertension or stomach problems discuss it with your own doctor first.
4) A good shoe is the key. Flat shoes/ thongs are a No-No. Invest in a shoe with a good arch support. People who could help you in this are podiatrist or orthotist. They can make a customised insole for you which you can use in any shoe. The other place to find help is online. There are lots of websites from where you can buy customised insoles.
5) A program of daily exercises, few of them are here
- TOWEL PULL : A towel pull can be done using a towel or a sheet
a) Hold the ends of the towel, and loop the middle around your toes
b) Keep your knees straight with your toes pointing up
c) Pull the towel ends, pulling your toes towards your body
- CALF STRETCH: Stand 1-2 feet away from the wall
a) Lean against the wall with your arms outstretched
b) Place one foot under your shoulder level , and one foot behind your body
c) Keep your back foot flat on the ground and feel a stretch in the back of your heel
d) Hold the stretch for a count of 10, and repeat. Do both sides
6) If this doesn't help you can have local cortisone/ steroid injections by your own doctor. Most of the times local cortisone injections relieves the symptoms.
7) If nothing seems to be helping, you might need to see an orthopaedic surgeon , who can release the plantar fascia from the painful spot and re-insert it elsewhere. But this is rarely needed. More than 90% people recover with above mentioned measures and don't need surgery.