The first excruciating step every day - do you have plantar fasciitis?

Have you ever experienced intense pain with your very first step out of bed? If you feel sharp pain in the sole of your foot with your first step every day, you might have plantar fasciitis.

Causes

The main cause is excessive stimulation of the sole of the foot. For example, prolonged walking, running, repetitive stomping movements during exercise, or actions that repeatedly put stress on the wrong areas of the foot. Furthermore, as we age, the ligaments and tendons in the foot bones begin to degenerate, increasing the burden on the plantar fascia. Additionally, flat feet and high arches can also increase the risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms

The common symptom is a "needle-prick" pain as soon as the foot touches the ground. The pain is most severe upon waking in the morning or after rest, because the tension in the plantar fascia is weaker during rest. When the foot is placed on the ground again, the fascia is suddenly stretched, which can cause severe stinging pain in the heel. However, after walking a few steps, the pain may subside. Nevertheless, after prolonged standing, walking, or running, the pain will intensify again.

Impact

Every morning, you will experience a "heart-wrenching" first step, and the pain will accompany you, making it difficult to move.

Long-term neglect of plantar fasciitis can lead to various complications. Due to severe pain affecting walking posture, such as inability to lift the toes or difficulty lifting the forefoot, poor walking posture can result. This increases stress on other body parts, leading to different complications, such as pain or discomfort in the feet, knees, hips, or back, and potentially chronic heel pain.

Prevention

1. Avoid wearing shoes with excessively hard soles.

2. Foot massage to relieve the plantar fascia.

3. Avoid prolonged standing or walking to prevent increased burden on the heel.

4. Wear insoles or heel pads to reduce stress on the foot.

5. Being overweight also increases the burden on the heel.

*The above does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for general conditions or any individual persons or patient cases, nor should it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.