If you are suffering from heel pain, the chances are that it is caused by Plantar Fasciitis. Most heel pain is caused by this condition, which typically causes pain in the bottom of the heel.
How does Plantar Fasciitis heel pain start? The planta fascia, a thin web style ligament, connects your heel to the front of your foot and provides support for the arch. This helps you to walk, so it is has a pretty important role.
Because these ligaments are designed to act as natural shock absorbers, too much pressure on your feet can damage or tear them. The Plantar Fasciitis condition occurs when the plantar fascia ligaments experience wear and tear from daily life and exercise. Once torn, the ligaments become inflamed. This inflammation is what causes the heel pain.
How painful is it? The pain varies from person to person and while some describe the pain as dull, others say the feel a sharp pain, and some feel a burning sensation.
The level of pain from the condition can be worse in the morning, when you are taking your first steps of the day. Climbing the stairs can also be painful.
If you lead a more active lifestyle, it can aggravate the inflammation, which is why runners and those who play sports can often suffer from Plantar Fasciitis.
What are the other causes of heel pain? If you have heel pain, it is most likely to be Plantar Fasciitis, but there are also a number of less common causes for heel pain.
These can include:
• A stress fracture
• Tendonitis
• Arthritis
• Nerve irritation
• A cyst
What are the treatment options?
Once you have confirmed with a medical professional that the cause of your heel pain is Plantar Fasciitis, you can consider treatment options. Reducing inflammation is the most common first step and will help to reduce the pain – although it will not fix the underlying damage to the ligament.
Initial treatment you can practice at home includes staying off your feet and applying ice to the heel area up to four times per day. This will help to reduce swelling and ease the pain it causes.
To help with the prevention of future inflammation you can try changing your exercise activities and reducing the level of exercise you do while the injury heals.
Using arch supports or running shoe insoles can help add shock absorption and distribute the pressure on your feet, reducing the pain when moving.
A recent study by an independent test house revealed that Enertor insoles not only helped to reduce heel pain for over 90% people, but also helped to heal over 75% of those with Plantar Fasciitis.
About Enertor Advanced Technology Insoles – Enertor insoles are designed to prevent a number of common running injuries and provide more comfort. Designed by leading podiatrists to reduce your risk of injury, the unique design features support your foot throughout training. Enertor insoles are enhanced by PX1 impact protection technology, which means they can provide more shock absorption than any other insole. Our expertise, combined with the patented PX1 shock absorption technology, enables Enertor to deliver the most advanced injury prevention insoles on the market today.
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