There are many injuries that can occur in your foot, but the most common one is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia (connective tissue), where it attaches on the bottom of the heel.
Inflammation can be caused by several factors: poor arch support or a change in shoes, a sudden change in activity level (going from a sedentary to standing/walking position), an increase in weight such as pregnancy or weakness in the muscles of the lower leg.
There is no test to diagnose plantar fasciitis, thus it is diagnosed mainly through its symptoms. Most people complain of sharp of dull pain in the heel or arch of their foot. The pain typically occurs first thing in the morning upon getting out of bed; getting up from sitting; or pain when on your feet. The pain can be severe enough that people cannot put weight through their foot.
There are a variety of treatments to help resolve the symptoms of planter fasciitis. For most it takes a combination of treatments to alleviate the pain.
Other treatments include cortisone injections and anti-inflammatories medication. Most treatments aren’t 100 % effective on their own. Knowing what to do in order to take an active approach with plantar fasciitis will help resolve symptoms. Remember this injury can take time to heal but following the above strategies will help your feet return to pain free activities sooner than later.