If you have pressing heel pain, chances are you are experiencing plantar fasciitis. This is one of the most seen cause of heel pain there is. So what exactly is plantar fasciitis? Our feet have a ligament called the plantar fascia that connects the heel bone to the toes. It also gives support to the arch of your foot so if this ligament gets stressed in any form or manner, it weakens and can become sore and swollen.

Plantar fasciitis typically happens in folks who are middle-aged. It can occur to people who are passionate runners or those who are overweight, no matter what their age. The pain mostly comes on progressively. It normally only affects one foot, but it can happen in both feet at one time. When this happens and you are in the Baltimore area you are advised to see a Baltimore podiatrist.

Straining of the plantar fascia ligament is the cause. If it is strained over and over again, the ligament can get small tears. It is the tears that cause the soreness and swelling. There are some things that can trigger this strain to begin with.

Plantar Fasciitis may have grown because you have a tendency towards pronation. What this means is that your feet roll in as you walk. If you have either high arches or flat feet this may put strain on the ligament. If you spend a lot of time on your feet, either standing up, running, or strolling, this too can have an impact.

If you wear ill-fitting shoes or shoes without sufficient support, you may suffer from this disease. Having tight calf muscles or Achilles tendons can put tension on the ligament. The primary symptoms are stiffness and pain in the heel which is probably a whole lot worse when you first get out of bed in the morning or get up after a long period of resting. The pain may relieve after taking your first few steps, but it likely will hurt more during the day.

In the beginning, you can self-treat your plantar fasciitis without seeing a foot physician. Here are a few of the things you are able to do to help your foot heel. Cut back on the things that make your foot feel uncomfortable and let it relax. Preventing hard surfaces is always recommended.

Icing your heel will address the swelling as well as the pain, as will taking something like ibuprofen or naproxen. Calf stretches and stretching out your foot by pulling it back with the help of a towel should be done many times a day, particularly in the morning time. Shoes with adequate arch support can help, and adding shoe inserts to both shoes.

If you are in Baltimore and the foot pain continues for six months or more even after attempting all these things, it may be time to see a Baltimore foot doctor. There is a somewhat new remedy for plantar fasciitis called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy. ESWT delivers sound waves to the heel area, which creates new blood circulation to the strained or torn ligament. This operation is safe and requires three or four sessions to be effective .

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