Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a strong, flexible band of connective tissue that connects to the heel bone. When subjected to overuse, this connection can become strained, impacting foot movement and the ability to push off while walking or running. Inflammation or damage to the plantar fascia, often resulting from injury, overuse, or certain health conditions, can lead to a painful and debilitating condition known as plantar fasciitis.
This injury can significantly hinder a person's ability to walk, run, or participate in sports, and in severe cases, it may result in a painful tear in plantar fascia that can take months to heal.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis is a common overuse injury often caused by inflammation, strain, micro tearing, micro scarring, inflammation, poor circulation, and tissue degeneration due to overuse, intense training, excessive pressure, and muscle compensation. While it’s most often seen in athletes, anyone can develop this condition. Plantar Fasciitis can lead to significant pain and discomfort, affecting your everyday activities and participation in sports, which can be frustrating and limiting.
At Lilly Physical Therapy, we provide safe, effective, and cutting-edge treatment to help manage Plantar fasciitis and relieve pain as quickly as possible—because nobody wants to hurt with walking or sit on the sidelines. Our specialists are dedicated to healing and rejuvenating your damaged plantar fascia, ensuring it functions properly through personalized physical therapy programs.
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
The most common causes of plantar fasciitis include overuse of the fascia, particularly among athletes, and excessive training on hard or uneven surfaces. Several factors can increase your risk of developing plantar fasciitis, such as age, gender, weight, activity level, training practices, footwear, long-term use of steroids, family history, certain medications, and underlying medical conditions such as diabetes. Additionally, having plantar fasciitis on one side raises your risk of tendon injuries on the other side. Mild cases often involve acute pain during or shortly after specific activities. Moderate cases may lead to more severe, sharp pain that feels like walking on the glass. Mild and moderate cases can progress to severe that can result in plantar fascia rupture or tear, causing intense pain, inability to push off, and severe discomfort.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Common signs and symptoms that may indicate that you are suffering from plantar fasciitis include sharp heel pain and ankle stiffness, associated with difficulty walking, and reduced function and strength.
The Role of Advanced Physical Therapy Program in Healing Plantar Fasciitis
Our physical therapy program significantly aids in permanent recovery from plantar fasciitis by alleviating pain, reducing inflammation, and restoring mobility. This enables you to walk, run, and return to sports. It can be the key to staying active and achieving success on the field.
Our solution for plantar fasciitis includes:
- Strengthening of gluteal hip and core musculature to improve push off, decrease compensatory strategies, unload calf muscles and Achilles
- Stretching: Gastrocnemius, soleus, Achilles, plantar fascia, hamstrings and hip flexors
- Calf eccentric loading to elongate and strengthen
- Manual therapy (calf and plantar fascia soft tissue mobilization, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, ankle joint mobilization)
- Balance training to improve proprioception and sports performance
- Multifunctional training and cross training to improve coordination, performance and stability
- Footwear and Orthotics to support foot and arch
- Patient education in selfcare, home exercise program, nutrition, gait, sports activities, and safe return to activates and sports
- Cold Laser treatment to activate mitochondria, increase energy production of cells, speed up healing, decrease pain, modulate inflammation, increase elasticity and stress resilience of plantar fascia
- Cardiovascular conditioning, endurance, and agility training for return to activities and sports
- Softwave treatment to activate stem cells, increase plantar fascia vascularization, eliminate bone spur, modulate inflammation and eliminate pain
Softwave Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis
Softwave treatment is cutting edge solution for Plantar Fasciitis. It is activating stem cells, increasing tissue vascularization, modulating inflammation, eliminating bone spur calcifications and eliminating pain ensuring fast and long lasting results.
- Recently published data have shown the high evidence of efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in Plantar fasciitis. Efficiency of shockwave therapy is related to stem cell activation, tissue vascularization, elimination of pain and inflammation.
- Softwave treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: “Unfocused shock waves delivered with an intensity of 0.10 to 0.17 mJ/mm2 were well tolerated by patients and led to significant pain reduction, functional improvement and patient satisfaction. https://softwavetrt.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/The-Journal-of-Foot-and-Ankle-Surgery-May-June.pdf
What is the exercise management for Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis exercises are developed or recommended by a physical therapist based on the assessment of the patient’s condition, latest research, level of activity and patient goals.
Plantar Fasciitis exercises in Edmonds, WA can help to restore function and mobility and prevent further injury in people who have suffered damage to their plantar fascia. Physical Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis in Edmonds, WA reduces pain and improves the overall quality of the patient’s life while considering whole body and whole person approach and incorporating cutting edge research, advanced manual techniques and cutting-edge technology.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is physical therapy good for Plantar Fasciitis?
Yes, physical therapy is perfect for treating and managing Plantar Fasciitis. Its noninvasive techniques can help reduce pain and restore function and mobility after damage to plantar fascia.
How long to rehab Plantar Fasciitis?
Tendons take a longer time to respond to exercises and overall treatment, compared to muscles. A traditional treatment for Plantar Fasciitis can take up to 12-18 weeks, but our advanced physical therapy program can help you return to the game in half that time.
Conclusion
Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that occurs due to damage to the plantar fascia from injuries, overuse or other medical conditions. This condition is excruciating, and it restricts mobility, causing more pain if left untreated. If left untreated, it can lead to a tear in the plantar fascia. We offer a non-invasive, natural, fast and effective treatment method to manage plantar fasciitis. If you or your loved ones are suffering from this condition, you should consider seeking treatment at Lilly Physical Therapy.
“Lilly PT was super helpful for me. I came in with shin splints and plantar fasciitis at a unfunctional rate and made significant strides to bettering these things at a fast rate. Not only did they help clear up my injuries, but they were super kind and welcoming and made a great atmosphere that I enjoyed being in.” JG
