Plantar fasciitis of the heel. For the plantar fascia

Plantar fasciitis is a fairly common ailment characterized by the development inflammatory process in a flat ligament (fascia), which connects the heel bone to the bases of the phalanges of the fingers. The disease is accompanied by severe pain at the slightest load on the heel. After a short period of time, if left untreated, the person will not be able to step on his heel.

Most often, this pathology is encountered by athletes, people who most They spend their days on their feet. Often plantar fasciitis occurs in people with excess weight, obesity, and joint ailments. Many people call this disease a heel spur. However, this is not entirely true, since the spur is a consequence of plantar fasciitis.

As a rule, it is prescribed to take anti-inflammatory and painkillers, adhere to a gentle daily regimen, wear comfortable shoes, use massage and perform special exercises. An important condition for therapy is to minimize the load on the affected area. In addition, if the cause of the disease is excess weight, then it is necessary to take measures to reduce it.

Alternative medicine will also help in getting rid of the disease. Medicines consisting entirely of natural ingredients, will be an excellent addition to the main treatment prescribed by the attending physician, and will help minimize the inflammatory process, eliminate pain and swelling.

However, before using one or another folk medicine do not forget to consult your doctor.

Foot baths and compresses

Dissolve a few tablespoons of sea salt in about a liter of boiled, slightly cooled water. Pour the solution into a basin and keep your feet in it for a quarter of an hour. Carry out the procedure every day, preferably before going to bed.
Night compresses. Grind the cinquefoil rhizome, put it in a thermos and fill it with boiled water - half a glass. Place the container in a warm place for several hours. Then filter, grind the roots into a pulp and apply to the sore heel. Cover the top with a napkin, cellophane and bandage. Warm your leg. The compress must be kept overnight.
Application of serum. Pour approximately 700 ml of whey into an enamel pan, place on the stove, boil, and then pour into a basin. Wait until it cools down a bit and steam your feet in it. It is recommended to carry out the procedure every day, before going to bed. After steaming your feet, apply the following compress to the sore heel. Mix cottage cheese and honey in equal proportions, mix, place on a gauze napkin and apply to the affected area, bandage. The compress must be kept overnight.

Preparation of ointments

Combine one raw egg with two tablespoons of vinegar and melted butter– 200 grams, mix. Set aside in a cool place. Apply a thick layer of ointment to the affected area, cover with gauze and cellophane on top, and secure with a bandage. The compress must be left for at least three hours. Don't forget to wear a warm sock. Carry out the procedure twice a day. The course of treatment is until the condition improves.

Application of horseradish. Take the horseradish rhizome and chop it with a grater. Combine 20 grams of raw material with the same amount of grated laundry soap. Mix the mixture thoroughly and apply to the heel. Cover the top with cellophane and put on a warm sock. Carry out the procedure daily, at night.

Sunflower heals

To reduce the pain of plantar fasciitis, follow these tips.

All of the above traditional medicine and advice from doctors will help you quickly get rid of this rather unpleasant illness. The main condition is no self-medication. You can use any means only after prior consultation with your doctor and only together with medications prescribed by a specialist.

Plantar fasciitis (an inflammatory process in the elastic tissues of the foot) can occur in any person, especially if he is in a risk group - for example, he plays sports, drives active image life, has flat feet or overweight. If you experience discomfort in your legs – periodic or constant pain, increased swelling, decreased mobility - you should definitely undergo a thorough diagnosis to exclude the possibility of developing plantar fasciitis. If the patient’s fears are confirmed and inflammation begins in his foot, then it is necessary to immediately proceed to treatment of the disease.

Today, doctors use several methods of treating plantar fasciitis, which together give a positive effect. At the initial stages of disease development, patients are prescribed various ointments and gels that have an anti-inflammatory, soothing and healing effect. Doctors usually combine this method of eliminating plantar fasciitis with various physical procedures (phonophoresis, shock wave therapy etc.), a course of massage, special exercises and unloading of the foot in general. When using such a complex therapeutic measures patients experience improvement in more than 90% of cases.

As additional ways effects on plantar fasciitis, patients can be prescribed special dietary supplements and folk remedies. For example - on a natural basis. Such drugs will speed up regeneration processes in damaged tissues, restore and improve metabolism, blood circulation, reduce painful sensations. Usually, with complex treatment, a positive effect is achieved within the first 3–6 months from the moment of detection of this unpleasant disease.

Ointments and gels for plantar fasciitis

Due to their diversity, doctors allow medications to be used at almost all stages of the development of plantar fasciitis. Today you can find in pharmacies a large number of ointments, gels and tablets, with which you can eliminate pain in the foot, relieve swelling, stop the inflammatory process, accelerate the restoration of damaged elastic tissues, and normalize metabolism. In this regard, tools such as:

Voltaren;
Diclofenac;
Prednisolone ointment;
Viprosal;
Cotractubex;
Chondroxide, etc.

Before using any medications You should definitely consult with your doctor, since almost all ointments and gels that help with plantar fasciitis have a number of contraindications. For example, hormonal agents cannot be used for diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, individual intolerance to components, a tendency to allergic reactions, obesity, osteoporosis and other diseases.

Physiotherapy, massage and special exercises

With the help of massage, a set of special exercises, as well as physiotherapy, you can help quick elimination unpleasant symptoms and causes of heel spurs. In this regard, experts advise using methods such as:

Shock wave therapy;
Electrophoresis and phonophoresis;
UHF therapy, etc.

Most physiotherapy procedures are carried out together with the use of medications (for example, with potassium iodide, hydrocortisone ointment or novocaine), as a result of which the effect of the drugs is greatly enhanced.

Massage cannot cure plantar fasciitis, however, it can normalize blood circulation and metabolic processes in soft tissues affected by inflammation. Patients can practice this method of influencing the plantar fascia either independently at home (especially if there is unbearable pain when walking) or in sessions with specialists. In some cases, it is recommended to combine massage with folk remedies - for example, with salt or sand heated in a frying pan.

Traditional methods of eliminating unpleasant symptoms of fasciitis

Folk remedies based on ingredients such as iodine, salt, honey, propolis, burdock and many others can also relieve pain in the extremities, stop the inflammatory process, improve blood circulation and metabolism in damaged elastic tissues, and reduce swelling. This effect is observed during the course of using compresses, decoctions, baths, and ointments. Before using the above medicines patients need to determine the presence or absence of contraindications, and also consult their doctor to avoid possible deterioration.

All people who have been found to have plantar fasciitis should understand that folk remedies cannot be used as the main method of treatment.

Radical methods of treatment: blockades and surgery

If treatment is insufficiently effective medications patients with a diagnosed heel spur may be prescribed a blockade. This method of treatment quickly brings relief to the patient, and the effect can last for 4-6 months after the procedure (in some cases, the inflammatory process in the foot stops completely). It should be noted that drug blockade for plantar fasciitis should be carried out exclusively by an experienced surgeon. Often, drugs such as:

Diprospan;
Hydrocortisone;
Kenalog.

To achieve maximum positive results Patients who have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis have to undergo this procedure 2 or 3 times. It should be noted that doctors are trying to delay the use of this method of treating plantar fasciitis until the last minute, since after the blockade patients may develop some complications, for example:

Formation and accumulation of pus in the soft tissues where the active substance was injected.
Necrosis and inflammation in the tendon.
Rupture of the plantar fascia.

Surgery is the last option to eliminate plantar fasciitis. This method of treatment is prescribed only when other interventions have not brought the expected results (elimination of the disease or stopping its development). During the operation, surgeons can remove bone growths, if any, as well as elastic tissues affected by the inflammatory process. Depending on the specific course of plantar fasciitis, doctors can choose one of three types surgical intervention:

Open. Might turn around unpleasant consequences, for example, suppuration or the introduction and development of infection at the site of the operation. Often this type of exposure is used in hospitals where modern equipment is not available.
Endoscopic.
Minimally invasive.

In conclusion, it should be noted that in addition to using the above tools, you should:

try to reduce the load on your legs as much as possible;
purchase comfortable shoes with low heels (up to 3–4 cm);
prevent the possibility of gaining extra pounds;
make special baths that will relieve tension and swelling of the legs after a working day;
cure flat feet and a number of diseases of the musculoskeletal system (if any);
devote at least a minimum of time to physical exercise and self-massage;
periodically undergo diagnostics, especially if there is some predisposition to plantar fasciitis.

If you notice some symptoms of fasciitis, you should not put off preventive measures and treatment. Otherwise, this can lead to quite disastrous consequences.

Plantar fasciitis refers to an inflammatory process affecting the plantar fascia. This formation is a dense tissue bundle that provides smooth shock absorption to the foot when walking. Plantar fasciitis in the foot area causes a person a lot of problems and discomfort, accompanied by pain and gait disturbance.

The human foot experiences constant dynamic and static load. That is why it is so important to diagnose and treat this disease in a timely manner.

In most cases, the cause of this pathology is trauma to the plantar fascia. Other causes of the disease include:

Staying in the same position for a long time. The risk group includes people whose work activity associated with prolonged sitting or standing. Also, professional athletes (weightlifters, track and field athletes, bodybuilders) are susceptible to plantar fasciitis.
Having flat feet. The flat arch of the foot receives uneven load, as a result of which the fascia of the foot suffers.
Wearing shoes without arch support. This type of footwear includes sports sneakers, flip-flops and flip-flops.
Excess body weight. If a person has excessive body weight, the load on his feet increases several times.
Presence of sports activities. Intense workouts have a damaging effect on the foot apparatus. Plantar fasciitis is a common pathology among people who play sports professionally.
Congenital weakness ligamentous apparatus feet.
Age-related degenerative-dystrophic changes in the soft tissues of the foot.
Violation metabolic processes and blood circulation in the sole area. People suffering from diabetes, gout and atherosclerosis are susceptible to this condition.

How fasciitis of the foot occurs, its symptoms and its treatment will be discussed in detail below.

Symptoms

A characteristic symptom of this disease is pain that tends to intensify with weight bearing on the foot. Pain is most often localized on the plantar side of the heel, as well as along the back surface calcaneus.

Pain syndrome with fasciitis makes itself felt in morning time days. The intensity of the pain often forces a person to stop moving and put his feet on a hill. The inflammatory process with fasciitis affects both feet, but can also be unilateral.

The main symptoms of this disease include:

discomfort and pain in the heel area;
limited movement;
burning sensation in the heel area;
deformation of the foot due to thickening of the plantar fascia;
forced flexion of the toes (characteristic sign);
the formation of a compaction center on the plantar side of the heel.

A potential complication of fasciitis is a heel spur, which develops as a result high blood pressure on the foot. If a person discovers signs of a heel spur, then in 85% of cases we are talking about the formation of an inflammatory process in the plantar fascia.

Diagnostics

The primary link in diagnosing this disease is the collection and analysis of complaints that a person makes. In this case, the doctor takes into account the nature of the pain, its duration, location, and the presence of other symptoms of the disease. Also, it is important for the medical specialist to obtain information regarding the patient’s lifestyle and work activity.

After this, the doctor will conduct a visual examination and palpation of the feet. An important point is the presence of flat feet or other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. As additional methods The following diagnostic tests are used:

X-ray examination;
ultrasound diagnostics;
magnetic resonance or computed tomography.

An X-ray examination may reveal a bone growth in the heel area (spur), as well as pockets of calcium deposits.

Treatment

Therapy for this disease includes medication, physiotherapeutic techniques and surgery. Wherein last method is last resort, and is used when conservative therapy is ineffective.

Drug therapy

Drug therapy for plantar fasciitis includes the following groups of medications:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medications are mandatory to take, since the basis of the pathological process in this disease is the inflammatory process.
Painkillers (analgesics) drugs. If a person is experiencing severe pain when physical activity or at rest, he is prescribed painkillers medicines.
Ointments and creams for local application containing an anti-inflammatory component.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

Methods of hardware physiotherapy are widely used as part of complex treatment of this disease. The following methods are highly effective:

Shock wave technique. This type of hardware physiotherapy involves the impact of high-frequency acoustic waves on the soft tissues of the foot area. As a result of this effect, local blood circulation improves, the intensity of the inflammatory process decreases, and pain and discomfort are eliminated.
Magnetotherapy. Impact magnetic field has an anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory and restorative effect.
Phonophoresis. This technique is complex and involves the simultaneous influence of physical and chemical factors. With phonophoresis, hydrocortisone ointment is administered using ultrasonic waves. This combination ensures deep penetration of the ointment components into the soft tissues of the heel area. Hydrocortisone ointment has an anti-inflammatory, anti-edema and analgesic effect.

Recommendations regarding each technique are given to each person in individually. Expressed therapeutic effect is achieved only if simultaneous use medications and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Surgery

If conservative therapy does not bring the expected result, the person is recommended to undergo surgical intervention. Surgical intervention for fasciitis is performed under local anesthesia. For this purpose it is used spinal anesthesia, causing temporary loss of sensation in the lower extremities.

Modern technologies and the latest equipment allow medical specialists perform short-term and high-precision operations. For surgical treatment Endoscopy techniques are used to treat this disease. During the operation, the doctor carefully crosses the plantar fascia and, using a special instrument, removes the bony outgrowth in the heel bone (spur).

Duration rehabilitation period after this intervention varies depending on the severity of the pathological process. Some people who have suffered surgical treatment fasciitis may experience the following complications:

traumatic damage to nerve trunks during surgery;
increased pain syndrome;
formation of a benign nerve tumor (neuroma);
long healing surgical wound or its suppuration.

If one of the complications develops, the person will need additional drug therapy and additional rehabilitation.

Prevention

It is much easier to prevent any disease than to deal with its consequences and complications. In order to prevent the occurrence of fasciitis, it is recommended to follow these tips:

use convenient orthopedic shoes which has instep support or good shock absorption or insoles.
It is recommended to change sports shoes at least once every 2 seasons;
fight excess body weight;
do not jog on asphalt surfaces;
train the flexibility of the ankle ligaments.

Treatment of fasciitis, especially those that have become chronic, becomes more and more difficult every year. challenging task. Requires massive drug therapy in combination with physiotherapeutic procedures. If a person’s leg begins to hurt and discomfort in the foot area begins to bother him, he is recommended to immediately seek help. medical care and undergo a comprehensive examination.

Plantar fasciitis, or plantar fasciitis, is an inflammatory process in the elastic tissues of the foot. This causes pain in the lower part of the heel, often accompanied by swelling. In most cases pain syndrome caused by inflammatory and degenerative changes in the plantar (plantar) fascia. This is where this disease gets its name – plantar fasciitis. It is also simply called fasciitis, heel fasciitis, or fasciitis of the foot.

Popularly, the disease is called “heel spur.” But this is not entirely true, because a heel spur ( bone spur) is a consequence of plantar fasciitis.

Briefly about the structure of the foot

The foot consists of 26 bones, muscles, blood vessels, tendons and various layers of fat. The largest bone is the heel. The heel tubercle is where the tendons and muscles come together. Fascia is also located here, that is, a special ligamentous tissue that stretches like a bowstring and prevents the leg from being overloaded. Essentially, fascia acts as shock absorbers, supporting the arch of the foot and helping a person walk. Particular tension is always noted at the place where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel tubercle.

Considering the importance of this department and the overstrain that it experiences, we can conclude that this is where greatest number problems. The fascia may be injured or stretched. Some wounds heal on their own, while others require treatment. If you ignore the problem, this can lead to the development of an inflammatory process.

Causes of the disease

Excessive stress on the legs can result in mass. various problems. The feet and heel area are most often affected. Nature has provided everything so that human foot must be able to easily withstand the stress that is created by walking straight. However, many people themselves create conditions in which the load becomes too high.

Foot fasciitis is one of the most common orthopedic diseases. IN Everyday life ligaments are subject to the greatest wear. Putting too much pressure on your feet can damage or tear them. As a result, the ligaments become inflamed, causing heel pain and swelling.

At-risk groups

People who are overweight, have flat feet, wear uncomfortable shoes, suffer from vascular diseases of the lower extremities, as well as older people and those who expose their limbs to heavy loads, for example, athletes (weightlifters, runners) are at risk. long distances). There is no exception for people whose work activity involves being on their feet for a long time.

Almost all active men and women aged 40 to 70 years are susceptible to the disease. But plantar fasciitis is more common in women than men. The thing is that women strain their limbs much more often. For example, wearing high heels and tight shoes can lead to heel fasciitis. All this leads to increased load on the foot. Pregnant women often experience attacks of fasciitis of the feet, especially when later pregnancy.

Separately, it is worth highlighting those who suffer from excess weight. People with overweight bodies very often suffer from problems such as fasciitis, flat feet and other leg problems.

With age, the risk of developing heel fasciitis increases several times. Age degenerative changes can contribute to the deterioration of blood circulation in the lower extremities, and this causes many troubles.

Diseases accompanied by fasciitis

Fasciitis is often experienced by people suffering from diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and gout. Sometimes a serious infection, for example, chlamydia and gonorrhea.

If the foot has wrong position, the heel will experience increased stress, that is, in such a situation, fasciitis cannot be avoided. Thus, flat feet and arthritis, in which the bunion goes inward and the toes protrude outward, may be harbingers that a certain stage of fasciitis is already present.

Any injuries and sprains of the limbs can be a factor that affects the development of heel fasciitis. However, most often the leg that was not injured suffers from this disease. It is on it that the entire weight of the person’s body begins to be transferred, which leads to the formation of excessive stress and the appearance of heel fasciitis.

Symptoms of manifestation

The main complaint of patients with plantar fasciitis foot is pain and stiffness at the bottom of the heel. The pain can be aching or sharp. Some patients also experience pain in the midfoot area.
A burning sensation when putting weight on the heel.
Pain in morning hours after sleep, when a person gets out of bed and takes his first steps.
Climbing stairs can be very difficult due to heel stiffness.
After prolonged activity, pain may increase in the ankles and Achilles tendon area. Usually it is not felt during activity, but only after rest.

These symptoms develop gradually over time.

The disease usually affects only one leg, but it can affect both legs.

Clinical picture

Such a pathology can long time not appear, but one day the signal will definitely appear, and it can be sudden and strong. The main symptom of heel fasciitis is pain that occurs in the foot. At first it is tolerable and goes away when the limbs rest a little. If a person does the right thing and does not overexert his legs for a while, microtraumas to the fascia can go away on their own. But more often than not, such symptoms are simply ignored. This is what causes complications.

Minor injuries to the fascia can lead to inflammation. This may cause bone growth in the future. This is very unpleasant phenomenon, which requires serious and long-term treatment.

The bone growth itself causes very severe pain, which intensifies while walking. Popularly, this phenomenon is called a thorn or spur in the heel.

Most often, the symptoms of fasciitis improve with daytime and become pronounced in the evening. By the end of the day, leg fatigue will be very strong, which will lead to unpleasant sensations.

More about heel spurs

People whose disease reaches a serious stage of development may begin to walk incorrectly. A heel spur makes it impossible to fully step on the foot, so the main weight is transferred to the toes. This leads to very tired legs and, in addition, problems with the spine.

In the most serious cases, when the fascia is damaged on both legs and tissue ossification has already occurred, a cane or crutches may be needed.

It is very important to promptly pay attention to the main symptoms of fasciitis. If the disease is diagnosed in a timely manner, this will make it possible to solve the problem quickly and without serious consequences.

You should not self-medicate, although there are many good folk methods against fasciitis. If you experience pain in your leg, you should consult a doctor and take an x-ray. This will allow you to see a picture of what is happening in the foot area. Based on the data received, the doctor should prescribe suitable treatment fasciitis. If it has not yet reached a serious stage, you can limit yourself to traditional medicine, but most often they are used as additional therapy.

How is the disease diagnosed?

Diagnosis of plantar fasciitis begins with a visual inspection and checking the location of the pain in the foot. The doctor may ask you to bend your leg, stand, walk, and ask you about ailments and injuries, if any.
Before treating heel fasciitis, muscle strength and nerve health are further assessed by checking:

Reflexes
Muscle tone
Touch, vision
Movement coordination
Balance

An X-ray or MRI is required to make sure your pain is not caused by another problem, such as a stress fracture or pinched nerve. Sometimes an x-ray will show a spur protruding forward from the heel bone. According to statistics, 40% of people with a heel spur do not experience pain, and therefore are not aware of its existence until a certain moment.

Treatment methods

Reducing inflammation in the plantar fascia ligament is an important part of therapy, but it does not solve the underlying problem. Conservative treatment Foot fasciitis lasts several months. Drugs are prescribed to relieve inflammation and relieve pain (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac).

If self-treatment did not bring the expected results, and anti-inflammatory drugs do not relieve pain, corticosteroid injections are administered directly into the damaged area of the ligament. To ensure the best passage of the steroid into the muscle, the doctor applies a painless electric current.

Physiotherapy

Physical therapy is an important part of treatment for foot fasciitis. The purpose of the procedure is to strengthen the Achilles tendon and relax the fascia.
A physical therapist can also show you exercises to tone your lower leg muscles. Mud therapy and warm baths with sea salt can be used.

If the pain continues and other methods don't work, your doctor may recommend extracorporeal shock wave therapy. In this therapy sound waves Bomb the heels to stimulate healing in the ligaments.

Supportive orthoses

Orthopedic shoes and devices are another method of conservative therapy. A night orthosis used to treat heel spurs is a boot that keeps the foot in a flexed position and helps stretch the Achilles tendon. This treatment tactic can prevent heel pain and stiffness in the morning.

Surgical intervention

Doctors prescribe this procedure only in extreme cases. Only in a situation where conservative methods will not give the desired result, and the patient’s condition will worsen, surgery may be performed. According to statistics, more than 70% of patients fully recover after surgery. However, relapses are extremely rare.

Surgery is only indicated in cases where the pain is very severe. The surgeon partially separates the fascia from the heel bone, but this weakens the arch of the foot and full function may be lost. Another surgery involves lengthening the calf muscle. This process is called calf recession.

The most commonly used tissue dissection is minimally invasive. Endoscopic operations are tolerated by patients much easier, and recovery after them occurs faster. The procedure is carried out using miniature instruments and a special camera, which allows the doctor to monitor the process occurring at the surgical site.

Still, surgery is considered a last resort. The thing is that complications cannot be ruled out.

Possible complications

A certain percentage of patients complain that it becomes more painful for them to walk after surgery. In addition, during such a complex process, nerves can be injured. A neuroma can appear from dried out nerve cells - this is a benign formation, but very unpleasant.

Steroid injections and some other treatments can weaken the plantar fascia and cause a potential tear of the ligament.
Surgery carries the risk of bleeding, infection, and reaction to anesthesia.

Prognosis for patients

Most people do not need surgery to relieve pain from foot fasciitis. Their condition improves through physical therapy, home treatment and medical procedures. However, treatment can take anywhere from several months to two years.

ethnoscience

At the most early stages development of fasciitis, you can resort to traditional medicine. But you need to take into account that it is advisable to use them in combination with traditional medications. In this case, you can achieve good results.

Since ancient times it was believed that the best remedy against heel spurs is sea salt. It is used as baths. In addition to salt, you can use essential oil.

Salt expands pores and increases the elasticity of ligaments.

You can steam your feet in warm water with lilac flowers. If desired, you can also use a tincture of them. It is believed that it can help in the fight against heel spurs. cabbage leaf, raw potato gruel, burdock leaf and horseradish.

How to relieve pain with excess weight

It is typical for a person with this disease to experience pain in one leg. But, there are some procedures that are used for both limbs - massage to stretch the ligaments. Do the first time in the morning, then three more times throughout the day.

Exercises you can do on your own

For the Achilles tendon

Place the injured leg behind the healthy one. Point the toe of your back foot toward the heel of your front foot and lean toward the wall. Bend your front knee, keep your back straight, and place your heel firmly on the floor. Hold for the count of 10.

For the plantar fascia

Sit on a chair, cross your sore leg over your healthy knee. Using the hand on the affected side, pull your toes back toward your shin until you feel a stretch in the muscle. You should feel the tension. Hold for the count of 10.

Prevention of heel fasciitis

Exercise daily or perform special activities physical exercise to strengthen muscles and ligaments.
Shoes must be loose on the feet, good quality, with shock absorption and arch support insoles.
Do not make your body become obese. If overweight already have, make every effort to lose excess weight.
Before training, be sure to do massage movements and exercises to stretch the ligaments of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis refers to unpleasant diseases. Pathological processes, arising in lower limb, can cause a lot of inconvenience to a person, including restricting movement. But the disease can really be cured if you do not ignore the first symptoms and seek advice from a specialist in time.

The process of heel spur formation is complex. The main function of the calcaneal fascia is to support the arch of the foot (longitudinal). When standing, the fascia experiences pressure from almost half the person’s body weight, that is longer time it is under constant load. Regular functioning of the fascia is subject to mini-tears, which can heal during the time when a person rests.

But sometimes the tears do not have time to heal, this leads to aseptic inflammation, which is accompanied by pain on the heel. The body begins to react to such deviations in its own way; growths called heel spurs begin to form on the heel.

Causes

With age, the structure of the fascia changes. The fascia becomes less elastic and much thicker. As the disease progresses, the fascia becomes inflamed, especially where it attaches to the heel bone. Inflammation is accompanied by pain and swelling in the heel area.

Over time, a bone exostosis forms in the area of attachment of the calcaneal fascia, which in everyday life is called a heel spur. Inflammation of the plantar fascia sometimes accompanies diseases such as gout or Reiter's disease.

Usually the disease develops without any reason, but sometimes there is a sudden development of symptoms associated, for example, with unusual exercise or a change in everyday shoes. Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs are also predisposed to the development of various deformations stop and excess weight.

The main reason illness is minor injury PF.

Signs and symptoms of heel spurs

The most important and basic symptom of a heel spur is pain in the heel.

The patient exhibits concomitant symptoms.

Associated symptoms and signs of heel spurs:

In the first stages of disease progression, the patient experiences pain after prolonged walking or running. When placing weight on the heel, the pain may become more intense.
Feelings of discomfort in the affected area begin to torment the patient, starting in the morning. When moving throughout the day, the pain decreases, but in the evening it resumes again, this occurs as a result of the daily load on the leg. The pain intensifies during periods of changing weather conditions (rain, snow).
Over time, calcium accumulates in the heel area, and the general condition of the body worsens. The pain begins to appear during rest, during sleep. It's hard to even take a step.
The patient's gait changes, this happens at the subconscious level. The patient tries to reduce the load on the leg damaged by the disease. If a spur has formed on both legs, then crutches will be needed; the patient cannot move independently.
It is impossible to see the spur externally, but in advanced cases, swelling (bruising) develops in the wound area, and the patient’s body temperature rises.

Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis has such severe symptoms that in most cases only if they are present can the disease be diagnosed. The most common manifestation of the disease is pain in the heel area. They usually appear while walking after sitting for a long time. In addition, the pain is quite noticeable in the morning, when the patient gets to his feet after sleep.

Most often, a heel spur or plantar fasciitis manifests itself as pain in the area of the tubercle of the heel bone. Pain and swelling are localized more inner surface heels.

The pain syndrome is more pronounced in the morning when getting out of bed. Heel spurs or plantar fasciitis typically include morning stiffness and pain when taking your first steps. The pain syndrome can be quite intense and constant. Scientists have found that women get sick more often than men.

It is not uncommon for heel spurs or plantar fasciitis to affect both feet. Among people involved in sports, the disease is often found in track and field athletes and dancers.

The most common signs of the disease include a feeling of stiffness and pain in the heel, which can be either dull or sharp. The disease has such characteristic symptoms that it is simply impossible not to notice it or confuse it with any other disease.

Pain intensifies:

in the morning, when the patient begins to take the first steps, getting out of bed;
when climbing stairs;
after standing in one place for a long time;
as a result of intense activity.

Symptoms also appear:

burning sensation when supporting and transferring weight to the heel;
swelling of the ankle and ankle;
pain in the ankles and in the Achilles tendon area.

The pain caused by plantar fasciitis often develops slowly over time. A sick person may experience lameness; he puts more strain on the healthy foot, which subsequently cannot withstand such a load and acquires an inflammatory process of the aponeurosis of the sole. There have been situations when both feet suffered from this disease.

The disease is diagnosed using ultrasound of the soft tissues of the foot. But before visiting a doctor, you can identify fasciitis yourself. It is this disease that is indicated by sharp sharp pains in the morning, which gradually weakens, and intensifies again towards night.

Note! The heel begins to hurt if you suddenly stand up after sitting for a long time. And if you press on the area of the arch of the foot, it will turn out to be soft and flabby.

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel area, and most often one heel is affected. If you do not carry out timely treatment and continue to put stress on your legs, then after a while inflammation may begin on the second leg.

By the way, the disease tends to show symptoms for a long time while in acute condition, but over time, without proper attention and treatment, the pathology can become a chronic condition.

Let's look at the features of fasciitis. Pain in the heel area is more pronounced at the beginning of the load, that is, when getting out of bed, during the first steps after rest.

Doctors even gave this feature a name - “pain of the first step.” Consequently, pain symptoms most often appear in the morning.

When a person “diverges,” symptoms decrease. In the early stages, the pain goes away completely and does not appear until the person gives heavy load on the leg muscles and heel.

As pain progresses, symptoms may appear throughout the day with sudden movements, standing or sitting for a long time, or not pass at all, but slightly weaken. In advanced cases, in order to cure the pathology, the patient is issued a sick leave.

The pain itself manifests itself in the area of the sole of the foot, closer to the heel. In addition to pain, muscle rigidity, burning or, conversely, numbness are observed. IN acute period It becomes difficult for a person to climb stairs and walk for a long time, which affects the quality of life.

Diagnostics

Plantar fasciitis or heel spurs are diagnosed and treated by an orthopedic traumatologist. The diagnosis is made by a doctor after a comprehensive clinical examination and obtaining medical history.

In about half of patients with plantar fasciitis, a bone spur (heel spur) is found on the surface of the heel bone.

The heel spur itself is not the cause of pain; it simply accompanies plantar fasciitis.

Magnetic resonance imaging allows you to more clearly see foci of inflammation in the plantar fascia, as well as exclude a number of diseases, which can also manifest as pain in the heel area. Another effective, inexpensive and simple method diagnosis is ultrasound. Ultrasound can accurately visualize thickening of the plantar fascia and confirm the diagnosis.

Inflammation of the plantar fascia begins due to excessive and regular stretching and overload. Therefore, athletes-runners and people who are forced to spend all day on their feet are more susceptible to the development of pathology. Risk factors for fasciitis also include:

overweight;
physiologically high instep of the foot;
presence of flat feet;
wearing inappropriate shoes;
diseases of the joints and blood vessels of the legs.

A surgeon must diagnose and prescribe treatment for plantar fasciitis. Although everyone can suspect these problems themselves. The first sign is morning pain in the legs in the area of the arch of the foot, which decreases in the evening. A doctor can confirm the diagnosis after examining the Achilles tendon and triceps surae muscle.

Note! Patients with plantar fasciitis cannot bend their foot beyond the normal straight position, they are unable to bring it closer to themselves.

The surgeon confirms the assumptions about the disease after examining the foot and palpating the plantar aponeurosis. The most accurate diagnosis is using MRI. In case of pathologies of the plantar aponeurosis, swelling is visible on the photographs. This study also allows you to see hidden fractures, fibroids or Baxter's nerve neuroma, which helps to avoid misdiagnosis.

To begin, the doctor studies the patient's medical history, obtaining information about when the pain began, the area where it is localized, and when it becomes most severe. After this, he collects information about what lifestyle the patient leads, and whether he has anatomical confirmations in the form of thin tendons or flat feet.

Ultimately, ultrasound and radiography, MRI and CT are prescribed to confirm the previously made diagnosis.

Considering all of the above, the risk group includes people 40-70 years old who lead an active lifestyle, most often women. There is also Great chance Runners, factory workers, waiters and many other representatives of standing professions get sick.

Treatment for plantar fasciitis is prescribed after comprehensive survey to exclude other pathologies. To make a diagnosis, the doctor studies the nature of the complaints, for which he conducts a survey, performs palpation and examination. To exclude ligament ruptures, the doctor asks you to flex and extend the foot, and also checks the ability to perform other movements.

In order not to make a mistake with the diagnosis, X-ray diagnostics are prescribed to rule out bone fractures. Additionally, magnetic resonance imaging and electromyelography may be needed. In general, imaging tests and interviewing the patient are often sufficient to establish a diagnosis.

If you have difficulty getting to your feet every morning and find it difficult to start walking normally, then it’s too late to talk about ways to prevent this problem. In such a situation, it is important to confirm the disease plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms, prevention and treatment of this problem are the lot of surgeons. You should not engage in self-diagnosis, much less try to alleviate your condition.

Even at the first and isolated symptoms, it is better to visit a specialist.

A surgeon must diagnose and prescribe treatment for plantar fasciitis. Although everyone can suspect these problems themselves.

The first sign is morning pain in the legs in the area of the arch of the foot, which decreases in the evening. A doctor can confirm the diagnosis after examining the Achilles tendon and triceps surae muscle.

Patients with plantar fasciitis cannot bend their foot beyond the normal straight position and are unable to bring it closer to them. The surgeon also confirms assumptions about the disease after examining the foot and palpating the plantar aponeurosis.

The most accurate diagnosis is using MRI. In case of pathologies of the plantar aponeurosis, swelling is visible on the photographs. This study also allows you to see hidden fractures, fibroids or neuromas of the Baxter nerve. This helps avoid misdiagnosis.

Treatment

Exists great amount folk remedies and methods that eliminate symptoms and treat this foot pathology quite effectively. However, before using any of them, you should definitely consult with your doctor, who will tell you which one can be used in a particular case.

Plantar fasciitis is treated using concentrated salt baths. To prepare them, you need to dilute salt (2 full tablespoons) in hot water (1 l). The procedure time is 30-40 minutes. After finishing it, you need to wipe your feet dry and put on woolen socks.

In a good way How to treat fasciitis is to use birch buds. Prepares from them alcohol tincture, which, in addition to the birch buds themselves (50 g), contains medical alcohol (100 g). The product must be infused for at least 3 hours. It is used to make compresses: a bandage soaked in it is applied to the sore heel twice a day (2 hours in the afternoon and evening).

You can try to cure the disease with a bath containing equal amounts of vinegar (9%), vodka and turpentine. All ingredients must be mixed and heated in a water bath. The sore heel should be kept in a container with this solution until it cools completely. Then you need to heat it up again and do the procedure again.

Potatoes will help get rid of the signs of plantar fasciitis. It needs to be cut into small slices and applied to the sore heels, securely secured with a bandage and wearing a woolen sock on top.

This compress is usually done at night. If, after removing the bandage in the morning, it is discovered that the plates have turned black, this means that the potato is fighting the disease.

Gradually, the pain will begin to subside, and the potato slices will begin to lighten. When treating plantar fasciitis with traditional methods, it will take a lot of time and patience.

However, persistence helped many overcome the disease.

Heel spur and its characteristic symptoms may be accompanied by completely different diseases, therefore treatment should be aimed at eliminating both problems. You shouldn’t ignore the symptoms of a spur on the heel, and you shouldn’t self-medicate, as this leads to health problems, and reviews from patients with this disease only confirm this.

Treating heel spurs is not difficult. Treatment does not involve the use of surgery; pain is caused not by the growth itself, but by the inflammatory process occurring in the tissues around the spur.

Large spurs do not cause severe pain to the patient, but small, barely noticeable formations, visible with X-rays, can cause severe pain, making it difficult for a person to even stand on his leg. The main methods of getting rid of the unpleasant symptoms of heel spurs and its treatment are physiotherapeutic procedures, special massage, as well as a variety of orthopedic devices that provide positive influence to unload the foot.

In the early stages of the disease, conservative treatment can be quite effective. Conservative treatment includes resting the foot, painkillers, exercise therapy, orthotics and other devices, and physical therapy.

Local injections of glucocorticoids can also be very effective. Most patients similar treatment brings relief.

If, despite the treatment, pain in the heel area persists for more than 3-4 months, then surgery can be considered.

For heel spurs or plantar fasciitis, a limited fasciotomy can be very effective. The operation consists of partial dissection of the plantar fascia and removal of the spur.

As practice shows, successful treatment foot fasciitis allows every 8 people to get rid of the disease within a year. If the treatment was effective, then in 95% it is possible to eliminate pain in the heel without surgery.

always comprehensive and includes:

Use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, special ointments, corticosteroids).
Rest. It is necessary to limit or prevent everyday activities that provoke the appearance of painful sensations in the heel.
Gentle walking mode. Put on shoes immediately after getting out of bed, as if you walk barefoot, the pain begins to intensify.
Wearing comfortable shoes. You need to wear models that perfectly absorb shock and have arch-supporting soles. The best option There will be sports shoes, as well as shoes with soft soles.
Physiotherapeutic procedures: laser, ultrasound, thermotherapy, shock wave therapy (for severe spurs);
Massage, performing special exercises. Perform simple calf stretching exercises a couple of times a day, preferably in the morning. Treatment, which includes exercises, is aimed at increasing the flexibility of the ligaments and strengthening the muscles that support the arch of the foot.
The use of orthopedic devices - arch supports, heel clamps, night splints. Overlays help cushion the heel area. You can buy them in many stores that sell sports shoes and pharmacies.
In order to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, ice should be applied to the heel area.

Note! You should not refuse medications prescribed by your doctor if he has confirmed that you have plantar fasciitis. Modern medicines can reduce painful sensations and prevent further development of the disease.

For these purposes, the doctor will prescribe special orthopedic insoles and tell you how to do gymnastics. Without following these recommendations, there is no hope for recovery. The use of special orthopedic splints, which are applied at night, also gives good results. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect.

Fasciitis is best treated topically. For this purpose various

, which are prescribed by the doctor. You can choose them yourself on the advice of a pharmacist at the pharmacy.

Note! One of the most effective means topical application in the treatment of plantar fasciitis is Fasciitis stop cream.

To quickly alleviate the patient's condition, anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed. They help quickly relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Treatment, for which ointment can also be prescribed, is to reduce inflammation and prevent the appearance of micro-tears:

at night you may be advised to apply Ortofen or Cortisone creams to your feet;
the medications Ibuprofen, Diclofenac or Naproxen will ease the condition;
in advanced cases, only corticosteroid injections help, but they only bring temporary relief; over time, the pain may return.

Important! Corticosteroid injections should not be given frequently, as this can lead to rupture of the plantar fascia.

Along with drug treatment you can try the methods offered by you Alternative medicine. They aim to reduce inflammation and prevent microtears that accompany plantar fasciitis.

The treatment period may take whole year, this will require stretching the plantar aponeurosis and Achilles tendon. To do this, the patient will have to constantly perform special exercises. As an addition, a splint is placed on the foot (at night) to ensure its immobility in neutral dorsiflexion.

You can do gymnastics at home, but you should consult your doctor before doing so.

If you do not start treatment and endure the pain, then it can last up to a year and a half, and periodically subside and reappear. The longer fasciitis is left untreated, the greater the risk of ending up on the operating table. The goal of treatment is aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process and the cause of the pathology.

Regardless of the chosen treatment option, gymnastics for the feet and ankles is mandatory. So, you can do stretching - gymnastics aimed at stretching the muscles of the foot, calf muscles. At home, you should also perform other types of exercise therapy, the exercises for which will be selected by your doctor.

The initial stage of treatment is to provide rest for the legs, you need to reduce the load, apply compresses at least 3 times a day.

A recipe for baths with is effective for treating fasciitis. flaxseed and potato peelings. Take 2 handfuls of flax seeds and mix with potato peelings, after which the resulting mixture is poured with half a liter of water and boiled until thickened.

When the porridge has cooled, you need to keep your feet in it for 15-20 minutes. The procedure ends by rinsing the feet with warm water, while scraping off the dead skin.

You can also use your own recipe from traditional medicine if there are no contraindications.

You can reduce the manifestation of pain by prescribing a course of drugs from the NSAID groups - Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Meloxicam. Ointments based on NSAIDs. To improve blood supply and reduce inflammation, a course of massage is prescribed, which must be combined with gymnastics.

Conservative techniques

If we take modern treatment methods, we distinguish kinesiological taping. The method involves applying an adhesive breathable kinesio tape to the heel area, which reduces muscle pain. The essence of the treatment is to stretch the muscles with a tape, which reduces stress and increases the circulation of lymphatic and intercellular fluid, and also stimulates blood supply in the foot.

Here are some popular treatments for plantar fasciitis. A common method of wearing an orthopedic insole is an orthosis.

In order to make them, you need a cast of the leg. The effect of insoles is to reduce pain, improve blood circulation and eliminate inflammation.

If you wish, you can make orthopedic insoles with your own hands using old insoles, cotton balls and a bandage, following the instructions.

Either separately or in combination with insoles, you can use a night splint in the form of a plastic boot. The splint is worn at night and prevents stretching of the plantar fascia. Using this method of treatment, you can reduce pain in the morning. The disadvantages include discomfort during use.

Shock wave therapy is a popular treatment. Also, for severe pain, blockades using hormones and analgesics can be prescribed. In extreme cases, it is necessary to perform an operation in which part of the fascia is excised or other necessary manipulations are performed.

You should not refuse medications prescribed by your doctor if he has confirmed that you have plantar fasciitis. Modern medications can reduce pain and prevent further development of the disease.

For these purposes, the doctor will prescribe special orthopedic insoles and tell you how to do gymnastics. Without following these recommendations, there is no hope for recovery.

The use of special orthopedic splints, which are applied at night, also gives good results. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect.

In many cases, anti-inflammatory drugs cannot be avoided. Doctors often prescribe the drugs Diclofenac or Ibuprofen, or their analogues. If the illness has gone so far that a person cannot get out of bed on his own in the morning, and conventional drugs do not help, then glucocorticoid injections may be prescribed.

To quickly alleviate the patient's condition, anti-inflammatory drugs can also be prescribed. They help quickly relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Treatment, for which ointment may also be prescribed, is to reduce inflammation and prevent microtears from occurring. At night you may be advised to apply Ortofen or Cortisone creams to your feet.

The medications Ibuprofen, Diclofenac or Naproxen can alleviate the condition. In advanced cases, only corticosteroid injections help. But they only bring temporary relief; over time, the pain may return. Such injections should not be given often, as this can lead to rupture of the plantar fascia.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Treating plantar fasciitis with painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications alone will not be effective. It should be combined with stretching exercises, proper insoles in shoes and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Shock wave therapy is considered the most effective. It is most often prescribed to people who have chronic plantar fasciitis.

Treatment, in which tablets are used only for temporary relief of the patient’s condition, should lead to stretching of the fascia. But a comprehensive medication and physiotherapeutic approach can quickly get rid of the problem.

In addition, it will prevent future fascial tears, which means the patient will no longer feel pain in the morning.

Ultrasound treatment may also be prescribed. Using this method, the tissues affected by the sensor are well heated. As a result, inflammation decreases and pain subsides.

Preventive measures in the fight against plantar fasciitis

In order not to fall into the risk zone of plantar fasciitis, it is very important to monitor your weight, because extra pounds are an additional load on the fascia. The choice of shoes must be approached carefully: women should not often wear shoes or boots with too high heels; when choosing a purchase, they should pay attention to shock absorption and supination.

Do not get carried away with walking barefoot on a hard surface. Since heavily worn shoes can cause foot pathology, they should be disposed of without regret.

If after an active working day you feel pain or burning in your legs, you can use cold compress. A bag filled with ice should be applied to the sore spot for 15-20 minutes.

Some massage with ice, using a paper cup previously frozen with water. Massage movements performed in the area where discomfort is felt for 3-5 minutes.

Doing them regularly will help reduce inflammation and significantly reduce pain. To strengthen the calf muscles, Achilles tendon, and stretch the fascia, it is recommended to perform a set of special exercises.

To avoid heel problems, you should:

regularly change sports shoes (sneakers, for example);
wear shoes with good cushioning in the heel area or arch support;
lose excess weight, if any;
stretch the fascia and Achilles tendon;
Do not jog on hard surfaces.