The bottom of your foot might seem like a place of particular importance but if it is not carefully managed as you get older then you can get what is known as plantar fasciitis. While you can get plantar fasciitis when you are younger, it primarily starts affecting older people who have their mobility restricted and don't exercise frequently. If you have started feeling acute pain in the foot, and have been putting off getting treatment, then here are a few reasons how your physio can help you manage this pain and overcome the symptoms without medication.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a very technical term for what amounts to a lot of thick, connective tissue underneath your foot between the heel and the toes. It acts as the main source of contact for your body and the ground (or shoes). It has a very poor blood supply, and if it is not stretched properly, then you can get acute pain that mimics symptoms of flat feet and other common foot-related injuries. The problem is that this cannot be fixed with special shoes or medication. Instead, you need to see a physio to help fix the underlying problem.
What Will A Physio Do?
A physio or another healthcare professional will get you started immediately on exercises that target the muscles in your calf (that stretch the plantar fascia) and the plantar fascia itself. These two areas are interconnected, and a problem for one is often related to the other. To get the plantar fascia to stop hurting, you need to stretch it out to its correct position. When you get older you exercise less and so that area of your foot can bend and shrink back into a very uncomfortable state. That is the primary reason why younger, more active people do not get this problem unless they are immobilised due to injury or disability.
Continued Treatment
Your plantar fascia needs constant stimulation and activity to prevent a return to a position that would cause plantar fasciitis. That might not mean you have to be so proactive about your exercises, but it is just good practice to keep monitoring this problem area and continue a few of the more minor stretches your doctor or physio prescribes for you. At regular check-ups, they will test the area and as long as you keep working at it, this problem can be easily managed for the rest of your life.
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