What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the aponeurosis that we have in the sole of the foot, which goes from the heel and joins with the heel bone, which is the calcaneus, to the root of the toes. Precisely in that point of union with the calcaneus is where the inflammation takes place. There are a large number of people who suffer from this disease, but athletes are especially prone to suffer from it, due to the overuse they make of their feet.
Symptomatology
The pain begins in the morning, when getting up, and it is a very intense pain in the center of the heel. As the foot warms up, the pain becomes more bearable, although it recurs every time we rest and get up again.
The cause of the pain
It has been demonstrated that the calcaneal spur is never the cause of heel pain. Many times people are sentenced by being told they have a heel spur, creating great concern, but in reality the cause of the pain is plantar fasciitis.
The diagnosis
The first test to do to diagnose this disease is, as always, to listen to the patient. You should also palpate the area and, specifically, the point of pain. As a complementary test, I also recommend ultrasound and, subsequently, to duly monitor the evolution of the disease to assess whether it is necessary to resort to surgery.
Treatment
The initial treatment is based on anti-inflammatory drugs, sports rest, stretching and physiotherapy work in the first phase. Later the infiltrations can and the shock waves can be very useful. But above all the insoles are fundamental, since they constitute a great protection for the affected area. Beyond this treatment is surgery, which is only required in some cases.