Where is plantar fasciitis pain located

In the early stages of plantar fasciitis, the pain may go away quickly once you take weight off the foot. Over time, however, it may take longer and longer for the pain to go away.

Without treatment, the plantar fascia will eventually tear partially away from the heel. The body fills the torn area in with calcium. This eventually becomes a bone and is called a heel spur.

This condition is usually diagnosed on the basis of your description of your symptoms. Your doctor may examine your foot and its structure or look at your shoes to see how they are wearing. Feet that pronate tend to break down the inner side of the shoe; feet that supinate tend to break down the outer side of the shoe. Depending on the individual, different treatments may be more effective than others.

Approaches include:. Skip to content. Plantar Fasciitis Not what you're looking for? Start New Search. What is plantar fasciitis? What causes plantar fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis can be caused by: A lack of arch support. A sudden injury. A tendency to roll your feet one way or another. An increase in activities such as running, basketball, tennis, soccer or gymnastics that involve repetitive pounding of foot.

Being overweight. Doing a lot of walking barefooted. Having one leg that is shorter than the other. This causes the foot on the longer leg to carry the body's entire weight longer than normal, stressing the fascia on that foot.

Additionally, the foot of the shorter leg falls to the ground harder, putting more pressure on that foot. Poor flexibility in the calf muscle. Poor training for physical activities. Standing too long. Wearing shoes that don't bend easily under the ball of the foot. Wearing shoes with too little cushioning. What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis? How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?

How is plantar fasciitis treated? To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel. Or take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen such as Advil or Motrin or naproxen such as Aleve.

Do toe stretches , calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. For towel stretches, you pull on both ends of a rolled towel that you place under the ball of your foot.

Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts orthotics. Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts. How long will it take for the pain to go away? Health Tools Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems.

Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. Plantar Fasciitis: Exercises to Relieve Pain. Cause Exactly what causes plantar fasciitis is not well understood. Conditions or activities that may lead to plantar fasciitis include: Things that affect how the feet work biomechanical factors.

These include abnormal inward twisting or rolling of the foot pronation , high arches, flat feet, tight calf muscles, or tight tendons at the back of the heel Achilles tendons. Repetitive activities, such as jobs that require prolonged walking or standing on hard or irregular surfaces or sports such as running. Things that put extra stress on the feet, such as being overweight or wearing shoes that are poorly cushioned, don't fit well, or are worn out.

The natural process of aging. Plantar fasciitis is most common in middle-aged adults. In rare cases, a single injury to the foot. Symptoms The classic symptom of plantar fasciitis is heel pain when you take your first steps after getting out of bed or after sitting for a long period of time. You may also have: Stiffness and pain in the morning or after resting that gets better after a few steps but gets worse as the day progresses. Pain that gets worse when you climb stairs or stand on your toes.

Pain after you stand for long periods. Pain at the beginning of exercise that gets better or goes away as exercise continues but returns when exercise is completed. What Happens Plantar fasciitis usually develops gradually.

As plantar fasciitis progresses: The heel pain gradually gets worse. You may change the way you walk to relieve the pain. This eventually may lead to more discomfort and pain and other problems with your foot, leg, hip, or back. Daily activities or sports may become even more limited. You eventually may have pain with any weight-bearing activity. Running and jumping may no longer be possible. A heel spur may form as a result of continued stress as the plantar fascia pulls on the heel bone.

By itself, a heel spur does not cause plantar fasciitis and does not usually cause problems. And you can have plantar fasciitis and not have a heel spur. What Increases Your Risk You have a greater chance of developing plantar fasciitis if you: Are middle-aged or older. Walk with an inward twist or roll of the foot pronation or have high arches or flat feet.

Are overweight or suddenly gain a lot of weight. Have tight Achilles tendons which attach the calf muscles to the heel bones or tight calf muscles. Have habits or do activities that increase the stress on your feet, such as: Wearing shoes with poor cushioning.

Walking or running without being conditioned for these activities. Changing your walking or running surface for example, from grass to concrete. Having a job that involves prolonged standing on hard surfaces.

Are an athlete or a member of the military. Some athletes, especially runners, are more likely to get plantar fasciitis because of: Things that affect the way their feet strike the ground, such as not having enough flexibility in the foot and ankle or having stronger muscles in one leg than in the other.

The repetitive nature of sports activities. Improper training. If you are a runner, you increase your chance of developing plantar fasciitis if you: Abruptly change how hard or how long you run. Run on steep hills. Wear running shoes that do not have a cushioned sole, lack good arch support, or are worn out. When should you call your doctor? Call your doctor if you have: Pain that continues when you are not standing or bearing any weight on your heel. A heel injury that results in pain when you put weight on your heel.

Heel pain that does not getter better after a week, even though you have tried rest, ice, over-the-counter pain medicine such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen , and other home treatment. Watchful waiting If you have heel pain: First, try resting and icing your heel.

If possible, stop or reduce activities that cause the pain, such as running, standing for long periods of time, or walking on hard surfaces. Try different shoes. Make sure they have good arch support and well-cushioned soles. Or if your current shoes are in good shape, try heel cups or shoe inserts orthotics to cushion your heel. Switch to other activities or exercises that don't put pressure on your heel. After your symptoms are completely gone, gradually resume the activity that was causing pain.

If you are an athlete, do not ignore or attempt to "run through" the pain. This can lead to a chronic problem that is more difficult to treat successfully. Who to see The following health professionals can evaluate and diagnose plantar fasciitis and recommend nonsurgical treatment: Family medicine physician Podiatrist Orthopedist Sports medicine specialist If nonsurgical treatments fail to relieve your pain, your doctor may refer you to a specialist such as an orthopedist or podiatrist.

The following health professionals can do surgery: Podiatric surgeon Orthopedic surgeon, especially one who specializes in foot and ankle conditions Sports medicine surgeon. Exams and Tests To diagnose plantar fasciitis, your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and your past health.

Treatment Overview The goals of treatment for plantar fasciitis are to: Relieve inflammation and pain in the heel. Allow small tears in the plantar fascia ligament to heal. Improve strength and flexibility and correct foot problems such as excessive pronation so that you don't stress the plantar fascia ligament. Allow you to go back to your normal activities.

Initial treatment There are many methods you can try to relieve the heel pain of plantar fasciitis. Limit or, if possible, stop daily activities that are causing your heel pain.

Try to avoid running or walking on hard surfaces, such as concrete. To reduce inflammation and relieve pain, put ice on your heel. NSAIDs come in pills and in a cream that you rub over the sore area. Wear shoes with good shock absorption and the right arch support for your foot.

Athletic shoes or shoes with a well-cushioned sole are usually good choices. Try heel cups or shoe inserts orthotics to help cushion your heel.

You can buy these at many athletic shoe stores and drugstores. Put on your shoes as soon as you get out of bed. Going barefoot or wearing slippers may make your pain worse. Do simple exercises such as toe stretches , calf stretches , and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. These can help your ligament become more flexible and strengthen the muscles that support your arch.

Ongoing treatment If nonsurgical methods such as rest, ice, and stretching exercises help relieve your plantar fasciitis symptoms, continue using them. If you have not improved after 6 weeks, your doctor may recommend that you continue those methods but add other nonsurgical treatments, such as: Custom-made shoe inserts orthotics. Custom-made orthotics require a prescription.

If your foot has an unusual shape or if you have a certain problem that the device will help, then a custom-made insert may fit better and control pain better than a nonprescription one. Night splints. A night splint holds the foot with the toes pointed up and with the foot and ankle at a degree angle. This position applies a constant, gentle stretch to the plantar fascia.

A walking cast on the lower leg. Casting is somewhat more expensive and inconvenient than other nonsurgical treatments. And after the cast is removed, you will need some rehabilitation to restore strength and range of motion. But a cast forces you to rest your foot. Treatment if the condition gets worse Your doctor may suggest corticosteroid shots if you have tried nonsurgical treatment for several weeks without success.

What to think about If you are trying to lose weight and you develop plantar fasciitis when you begin exercising, especially jogging, talk with your doctor about other types of activity that will support your weight-loss efforts without making your heel pain worse. Some questions you may want to ask about exercise include: Should I cut back on my exercise? How many days per week, how long, and what exercise should I do instead?

Should I ice my foot after I exercise? If so, for how long each time, and how long should I continue the icing? Are there exercises I can do to make my foot and ankle more flexible?

What are they, and how often and how long should I do them? Prevention The following steps will help prevent plantar fasciitis or help keep the condition from getting worse if you already have it: Take care of your feet. Wear shoes with good arch support and heel cushioning. If your work requires you to stand on hard surfaces, stand on a thick rubber mat to reduce stress on your feet.

Do exercises to stretch the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. This is especially important before sports, but it is helpful for nonathletes as well. Ask your doctor about recommendations for a stretching routine. Find a pharmacy.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:. Moderate pain: always there makes it hard to concentrate or sleep you can manage to get up, wash or dress. Mild pain: comes and goes is annoying but does not stop you doing things like going to work. Find a registered podiatrist. Find a registered physiotherapist.