Case Study: Female 55 Years Old, Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is the inflammation of the plantar fascia which is the connective tissue on the sole of the heel. Our Physiotherapists in Oakville encounters heel pain on a weekly basis.
The condition is usually caused by an overuse of the plantar fascia and can be very difficult to treat if not looked after properly. Sometimes called “policeman’s heel”, it can develop into plantar fasciitis if left unchecked (plantar fasciitis is characterized by the degeneration of the tendon, rather than the simple inflammation). With proper physiotherapy care, however, it can be easily treated.
Plantar Fasciitis Diagnosis
Our Oakville Physiotherapist, Vinaya, says Plantar Fasciitis is diagnosed by pain during the first step in the morning or pain in the heel in first steps after sitting for a prolonged period.
The heel pain could be at the very bottom of the Achilles tendon, in the heel bone, in the lower arch, or even the entire foot. In severe cases of plantar fasciitis shooting pain or lightning like shocks can be felt in the calf or the sole of the foot.
Although the pain is located on the heel or sole of the foot, in most cases of plantar fasciitis the problem in 99% of patients is coming from tight calves or Achilles tendon. The tight calves could be caused by bad footwear, gait biomechanics or even further up the kinetic chain, such as a hip or pelvis alignment issue.
Learn more about Plantar Fasciitis and treatment in Oakville
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment: 55 year old Female
A 55 year old working female patient, mother of three children, has been experiencing heel pain for around 18 months. She is one of 2.2 million North Americans that will get plantar fasciitis this year and is contributing to the “11% of North Americans will get plantar fasciitis in their lifespan” stat.
Each morning she feels an excruciating pain in her right heel and back of her foot when she takes her first step, and she’s decided to finally get some physiotherapy treatment for it. After visiting our clinic twice a week for 8 weeks, she was pain free and showed no signs of plantar fasciitis.
Treatment for her plantar fasciitis included shockwave therapy, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy, stretching, icing, and a change in footwear. Each treatment session lasted for approximately 25 minutes with 3 or 4 days off in between. She was advised to limit physical activity for 2 or 3 weeks while her body healed her calf and foot.
Some patients might require custom orthotics in Oakville. click here to learn more about custom orthotics and if they can help your plantar fasciitis.
If you are experiencing any heel pain and think it may be plantar fasciitis or the first step you take in the morning hurts, come in and have it properly assessed here at Glen Abbey Physio. Get yourself on the road to recovery! Tried everything for your pain? Have you tried our Oakville acupuncturist? Dr. Jenn has great results treating plantar fasciitis and foot and ankle pain.
More about Plantar Fasciitis and treatment options in Oakville