A painful foot condition that’s sidelined athletes including Tiger Woods, Albert Pujols, Stephanie Catley and more, plantar fasciitis is on the rise for the “average joe.”
The condition is caused by inflammation of the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of each foot connecting the heel bone to your toes. This tissue – or plantar fascia – helps support your foot’s arch. The pain from this condition is often most notable with the first steps when a person gets out of bed in the morning.
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"It's tight when we're up on our toes and standing, and then it's loose when our foot is in a relaxed position," says Dr. Sara Galli, an SSM Health orthopedic surgeon. “Those first steps in the morning rapidly stretch out the tissue causing painful first steps.”
Galli says complaints of heel and foot pain drastically increased during the pandemic. She notes many of us spent a lot more time at home barefoot or wearing slippers or flip-flops, which irritated the plantar fascia.
"What we commonly see is some change in someone's normal activity in relation their feet. They change a pair of shoes, or they go from being a 5k distance runner to being a marathon runner."
If you have plantar fasciitis, Dr. Galli recommends stretching exercises for your feet, wearing supportive shoes and going easy on the activities that may be irritating the plantar fascia. You can also roll your foot on a frozen water bottle. If the pain isn't going away or you find yourself adjusting your normal, daily life to accommodate the injury, Dr. Galli suggests seeing a specialist.
Schedule an appointment with SSM Health Orthopedics today to rediscover life without pain.
