Inflammation of the fascia treatment. What is plantar fasciitis and how to treat it. Ointments, folk remedies, exercises

Therapeutic exercises are indeed an important factor in the prevention and treatment of plantar fasciitis. However, to be completely honest, she is not able to cope with this disease alone. A whole range of measures is needed, we will consider them in this article.

Let's be honest right away: despite the menacing name, heel spurs rarely cause pain in the heel and foot. In most cases, this disease is detected by chance and comes as a surprise to a person. In turn, pain, which forces people to seek medical help, is a consequence of another serious disease - plantar fasciitis. Since the locations of these pathologies often coincide, they are strongly identified in our minds and used as synonyms. Although in reality this is not the case.

Exercises to prevent and treat plantar fasciitis

Therapeutic exercises are indeed an important factor in the prevention and treatment of plantar fasciitis. However, to be completely honest, she is not able to cope with this disease alone. A whole range of measures is needed, but we will consider them a little later. Let's start our conversation with basic concepts.

The plantar fascia is a layer of dense fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom surface of the foot. Its main purpose is to maintain the longitudinal arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is nothing more than inflammation of the fascia, and this inflammation is usually localized in the heel area. A heel spur also forms in the area of the heel tubercle and is a bone growth, an osteophyte. In some cases, the appearance of osteophytes is a direct consequence of plantar fasciitis.

Rice. 1. Difference between plantar fasciitis and heel spurs

The cause of inflammation of the fascia is its constant microtrauma associated with low tissue elasticity and mechanical stress on the foot. In most cases, the body restores the damaged areas, but sometimes a pathological process still develops.

Inflammation of the fascia can be accompanied by pain along the entire plantar surface(though most often in the heel area). Their distinctive feature is appears in the morning with the first steps or after a long rest of the legs. During a long break, microtears heal, but with some shortening, as a result, as soon as we begin to move, stretching the foot, the fascia is injured again, causing pain.

Rice. 2. Frequency of pain localization on different areas feet at plantar fasciitis

There are no statistics for our country, but in the USA up to 2 million calls related to pain in the heel area are registered annually. The risk group includes people:

obese;

having various foot deformities (planovalgus, hollow foot);

having problems with the spine, large joints legs; with impaired metabolism;

with injuries of the heel bone;

those experiencing physical overload (for example, athletes);

wearing the wrong shoes;

elderly.

Rice. 3. Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of plantar fasciitis (heel spur syndrome)

Gymnastics and other methods of treating plantar fasciitis

If the disease makes itself felt, then without adequate treatment there's no way around it. It is worth mentioning the fact that there is no generally accepted method of treatment, so the further fate of your foot will entirely depend on the qualifications of the attending physician.

I would also like to warn against the use of so-called traditional methods of treatment, especially those that promise a complete cure in a few days. Only a few, far from the most “harmless” official methods of therapy are capable of this.

Poultices and lotions may have some kind of healing effect, but, firstly, it has not been confirmed, and, secondly, a miraculous recipe can simply heal another disease with similar symptoms. In our digital age, it is unlikely that anyone will post test results online before and after “folk” treatment, but rave reviews, please.

The safest thing for health that a doctor can prescribe is physiotherapy in combination with adequate unloading of the foot, massage and some types of physiotherapy (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be taken to relieve pain in the initial stages). This treatment should give positive effect for several months. If this does not happen, other methods are used: shock wave therapy, x-ray therapy, drug blockades.

Many patients report with delight that after years of suffering and treatment traditional methods they can live again full life. This is often true. But, unfortunately, these methods are not so harmless and after them there are relapses. In addition, in 5-10% of cases, even this heavy artillery does not help people. And the only option left is surgery.

Below is a video about how to treat heel spurs.

Therapeutic gymnastics promotes:

increased blood and lymph circulation in the problem area (tissue nutrition improves, inflammation and swelling decrease, salt formation processes slow down);

strengthening the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the foot and ankle;

increasing the elasticity of ligaments, tendons, fascia.

Principles of performing a set of exercises to stretch and strengthen the foot:

regularity (it is advisable to perform gymnastics twice a day, morning and evening);

sufficient quantity repetitions (from 4 times);

delay in peak phases of exercise for at least 15 seconds;

preliminary warm-up with the participation of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

Warming up the muscles of the calves and Achilles tendon is very important, but the complex must include special exercises aimed directly at stretching the plantar fascia. Their effectiveness is much higher for the treatment of heel spurs.

In addition, the earlier treatment with physical therapy is started, the better. In particular, the study showed the higher effectiveness of therapeutic exercises compared to shock wave therapy in the acute phase of the disease.

Before performing a complex of therapeutic exercises, it is advisable to consult with your doctor or exercise therapy instructor.

A set of exercises for the treatment of heel spurs

Sit on the floor and grab the top of your foot with a band or strap. Pull the band toward you until you feel tension in your calf muscles. Stay in this position for 15 seconds. Return to i.p.

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs. Raise your leg slightly and rotate your feet (the toe of your foot should describe a circle).

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs. Bend your toes, then straighten them so that your toes are facing you. When extending, try to spread your fingers as far apart as possible.

Stand near a wall, place your foot on your heel and lean against the wall top part feet (leg straight). Drive your knee toward the wall until you feel a stretch in the bottom of your foot.

Stand near a wall, resting your hands on it. The healthy leg is in front, the sick leg is behind (if both legs are sick, alternate them). Squat down slowly without lifting your heels off the floor. We do not bend the back leg. As soon as you feel the stretch in the calf muscles of your back leg, stop and slowly count to 15. Return to the starting position.

I.P. as in the previous one. Squat down slowly, keeping your heels on the floor but bending both legs. As soon as you feel tension in your Achilles tendon, stop and slowly count to 15. Return to the starting position.

Sit on a chair, hands on your belt, one leg bent, the other extended. Slowly lean forward until you feel tension in your hamstring.

Count to 15 and return to the starting position.

Take a stack of books, a rectangular beam, or use a ladder (the main thing is that the height of the hill is at least 5 cm). Stand on a hill so that your heels hang freely, and press your hands against the wall.

Lean forward, keeping your body in one line. Your hands, wrists and forearms should touch the wall.

If everything is done correctly, you will feel the tension in the lower leg muscles. Count to 15 and take the starting position. Then start doing raises and lowerings on your toes. Make sure your heels are lower than the support level.

Do at least 10 lifts and start the whole exercise again. You can make the exercise more difficult by performing it on each leg in turn.

Take one of the following items: a bottle, a rolling pin, a roller, a small ball (preferably a bottle filled with cold or even ice water).

Place your foot on the selected object and roll it back and forth across the entire surface of your foot. While performing the exercise, press your foot firmly against the object.

Place items on the floor various shapes and size. Using your feet, collect all the laid out items into a container.

Repeat the exercise several times if necessary. You can use both legs in the collection process.

Sit on a chair, place your sore leg on the edge of a piece of cloth or towel. Gather the fabric by curling your toes.

Sit on a chair, place your sore leg on the knee of your healthy leg. Place one hand on the heel, the other on the toe of the sore leg. Pull the toe of your relaxed foot toward you until you feel tension.

Stay in this position for 7 seconds. Then tense your foot and try to return it to its original position, while simultaneously creating resistance to this action with your hand.

Stay in this state for 7 seconds. Return to the starting position.

Stand on a hill by analogy with step 8. Place your healthy leg completely on the support, and only partially support your affected leg. Rise up onto your toes, placing your body weight on your healthy leg.

Lower yourself so that the heel of the affected leg drops below the level of the support. In this case, the weight must be transferred to the sore leg. As soon as you feel the tension in your leg muscles, count to 15 and return to the starting position.

You can simplify the exercise by eliminating the rise on your toes. In this embodiment, the weight is simply transferred to the healthy leg.

After the evening warm-up, it is recommended to fix the foot with an orthosis. It will not allow the stretched fascia to shrink during the night's rest, as a result, micro-tears will heal correctly, and there will be no new damage during the first morning steps. In addition to therapeutic exercises, barefoot walks on uneven surfaces are recommended.

Treatment methods accompanying therapeutic exercises

The most important condition for the effectiveness of treatment is to ensure unloading of the painful area. To do this, for plantar heel spurs, individual orthopedic insoles are prescribed with lining of the internal and external longitudinal arches, a recess and soft padding under the heel.

A good addition are warm foot baths with sea salt, soap, soda, as well as physiotherapy(ultrasound, electrophoresis, laser therapy). published .

Bibliography:

Dubrovsky V.I. Therapeutic physical education (kinesitherapy): Textbook. for students higher schools, institutions. – 2nd ed., erased. – M.: Humanite. ed. VLADOS center, 2001. - 608 pp.: ill.

Korzh N.A., Prozorovsky D.V. Modern aspects of diagnosis and treatment of some foot pain syndromes in adults (Russian). Health of Ukraine (06/27/2013)

Traumatology and orthopedics / Guide for doctors: in 3 volumes / Ed. SOUTH. Shaposhnikova. – M.: Medicine, 1997. – 624 p.

Traumatology and orthopedics. Textbook for higher education students. textbook establishments / G.M. Kavalersky, L.L. Silin, A.V. Garkavi et al.; By ed. G.M. Kavalersky. – M.: Publishing Center “Academy”, 2005. – 624 p.

Plantar fascia-specific stretching exercise improves outcomes in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. A prospective clinical trial with two-year follow-up. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16882901

Plantar fascia-specific stretching versus radial shock-wave therapy as initial treatment of plantar fasciopathy – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21048171

Anton Rikhov

If you have any questions, please ask

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

The process of heel spur formation is complex. The main function of the calcaneal fascia is to support the arch of the foot (longitudinal). When standing, the fascia experiences pressure from almost half the person’s body weight, that is longer time it is under constant load. Regular functioning of the fascia is subject to mini-tears, which can heal during the time when a person rests.

But sometimes the tears do not have time to heal, this leads to aseptic inflammation, which is accompanied by pain in the heel. The body begins to react to such deviations in its own way; growths called heel spurs begin to form on the heel.

Causes

With age, the structure of the fascia changes. The fascia becomes less elastic and much thicker. As the disease progresses, the fascia becomes inflamed, especially where it attaches to the heel bone. Inflammation is accompanied by pain and swelling in the heel area.

Over time, a bone exostosis forms in the area of attachment of the calcaneal fascia, which in everyday life is called a heel spur. Inflammation of the plantar fascia sometimes accompanies diseases such as gout or Reiter's disease.

Usually the disease develops without any reason, but sometimes there is a sudden development of symptoms associated, for example, with unusual exercise or a change in everyday shoes. Various foot deformities and excess weight also predispose to the development of plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.

The main cause of the disease is a minor injury to the PF.

Signs and symptoms of heel spurs

The most important and basic symptom of a heel spur is pain in the heel.

The patient exhibits concomitant symptoms.

Associated symptoms and signs of heel spurs:

In the first stages of disease progression, the patient experiences pain after prolonged walking or running. When placing weight on the heel, the pain may become more intense.
Feelings of discomfort in the affected area begin to torment the patient, starting in the morning. When moving throughout the day, the pain decreases, but in the evening it resumes again, this occurs as a result of the daily load on the leg. The pain intensifies during periods of changing weather conditions (rain, snow).
Over time, calcium accumulates in the heel area, and the general condition of the body worsens. The pain begins to appear during rest, during sleep. It's hard to even take a step.
The patient's gait changes, this happens at the subconscious level. The patient tries to reduce the load on the leg damaged by the disease. If a spur has formed on both legs, then crutches will be needed; the patient cannot move independently.
It is impossible to see the spur externally, but in advanced cases, swelling (bruising) develops in the wound area, and the patient’s body temperature rises.

Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis has such severe symptoms that in most cases only if they are present can the disease be diagnosed. The most common manifestation of the disease is pain in the heel area. They usually appear while walking after sitting for a long time. In addition, the pain is quite noticeable in the morning, when the patient gets to his feet after sleep.

Most often, a heel spur or plantar fasciitis manifests itself as pain in the area of the tubercle of the heel bone. Pain and swelling are localized more inner surface heels.

The pain syndrome is more pronounced in the morning when getting out of bed. Heel spurs or plantar fasciitis typically include morning stiffness and pain when taking your first steps. The pain syndrome can be quite intense and constant. Scientists have found that women get sick more often than men.

It is not uncommon for heel spurs or plantar fasciitis to affect both feet. Among people involved in sports, the disease is often found in track and field athletes and dancers.

The most common signs of the disease include a feeling of stiffness and pain in the heel, which can be either dull or sharp. The disease has such characteristic symptoms that it is simply impossible not to notice it or confuse it with any other disease.

Pain intensifies:

in the morning, when the patient begins to take the first steps, getting out of bed;
when climbing stairs;
after standing in one place for a long time;
as a result of intense activity.

Symptoms also appear:

burning sensation when supporting and transferring weight to the heel;
swelling of the ankle and ankle;
pain in the ankles and in the Achilles tendon area.

Painful sensations that provoke plantar fasciitis, often develop slowly over a long period of time. A sick person may experience lameness; he puts more strain on the healthy foot, which subsequently cannot withstand such a load and acquires an inflammatory process of the aponeurosis of the sole. There have been situations when both feet suffered from this disease.

The disease is diagnosed using ultrasound of the soft tissues of the foot. But before visiting a doctor, you can identify fasciitis yourself. It is this disease that is indicated by sharp sharp pains in the morning, which gradually weaken and intensify again towards night.

Note! The heel begins to hurt if you suddenly stand up after sitting for a long time. And if you press on the area of the arch of the foot, it will turn out to be soft and flabby.

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel area, and most often one heel is affected. If you do not carry out timely treatment and continue to put stress on your legs, then after a while inflammation may begin on the second leg.

By the way, the disease tends to show symptoms for a long time, being in an acute state, but over time, without proper attention and treatment, the pathology can become chronic.

Let's look at the features of fasciitis. Pain in the heel area is more pronounced at the beginning of the load, that is, when getting out of bed, during the first steps after rest.

Doctors even gave this feature a name - “pain of the first step.” Consequently, pain symptoms most often appear in the morning.

When a person “diverges,” symptoms decrease. On early stages the pain goes away completely and does not appear until the person gives heavy load on the leg muscles and heel.

As pain progresses, symptoms may appear throughout the day with sudden movements, long periods of standing or sitting, or may not go away at all, but slightly weaken. In advanced cases, in order to cure the pathology, the patient is prescribed sick leave.

The pain itself manifests itself in the area of the sole of the foot, closer to the heel. In addition to pain, muscle rigidity, burning or, conversely, numbness are observed. During the acute period, it becomes difficult for a person to climb stairs and walk for a long time, which affects the quality of life.

Diagnostics

Plantar fasciitis or heel spurs are diagnosed and treated by an orthopedic traumatologist. The diagnosis is made by a doctor after a comprehensive clinical examination and a history of the disease.

In about half of patients with plantar fasciitis, a bone spur (heel spur) is found on the surface of the heel bone.

The heel spur itself is not the cause of pain; it simply accompanies plantar fasciitis.

Magnetic resonance imaging allows you to more clearly see foci of inflammation in the plantar fascia, as well as exclude a number of diseases, which can also manifest as pain in the heel area. Another effective, inexpensive and simple diagnostic method is ultrasound. Ultrasound can accurately visualize thickening of the plantar fascia and confirm the diagnosis.

Inflammation of the plantar fascia begins due to excessive and regular stretching and overload. Therefore, athletes-runners and people who are forced to spend all day on their feet are more susceptible to the development of pathology. Risk factors for fasciitis also include:

overweight;
physiologically high instep of the foot;
presence of flat feet;
wearing inappropriate shoes;
diseases of the joints and blood vessels of the legs.

Note! Patients with plantar fasciitis cannot bend their foot beyond the normal straight position, they are unable to bring it closer to themselves.

The surgeon confirms the assumptions about the disease after examining the foot and palpating the plantar aponeurosis. The most accurate diagnosis is using MRI. In case of pathologies of the plantar aponeurosis, swelling is visible on the photographs. This study also allows you to see hidden fractures, fibroids or Baxter's nerve neuroma, which helps to avoid misdiagnosis.

To begin, the doctor studies the patient's medical history, obtaining information about when the pain began, the area where it is localized, and when it becomes most severe. After this, he collects information about what lifestyle the patient leads, and whether he has anatomical confirmations in the form of thin tendons or flat feet.

Ultimately, ultrasound and radiography, MRI and CT are prescribed to confirm the previously made diagnosis.

Considering all of the above, the risk group includes people 40-70 years old who lead an active lifestyle, most often women. There is also a high risk of getting sick for runners, factory workers, waiters and many other representatives of standing professions.

Treatment for plantar fasciitis is prescribed after comprehensive examination to exclude other pathologies. To make a diagnosis, the doctor studies the nature of the complaints, for which he conducts a survey, performs palpation and examination. To exclude ligament ruptures, the doctor asks you to flex and extend the foot, and also checks the ability to perform other movements.

In order not to make a mistake with the diagnosis, X-ray diagnostics are prescribed to rule out bone fractures. Additionally, magnetic resonance imaging and electromyelography may be needed. In general, imaging tests and interviewing the patient are often sufficient to establish a diagnosis.

If you have difficulty getting to your feet every morning and find it difficult to start walking normally, then it’s too late to talk about ways to prevent this problem. In such a situation, it is important to confirm the disease plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms, prevention and treatment of this problem are the lot of surgeons. You should not engage in self-diagnosis, much less try to alleviate your condition.

Even at the first and isolated symptoms, it is better to visit a specialist.

A surgeon must diagnose and prescribe treatment for plantar fasciitis. Although everyone can suspect these problems themselves.

The first sign is morning pain in the legs in the area of the arch of the foot, which decreases in the evening. A doctor can confirm the diagnosis after examining the Achilles tendon and triceps surae muscle.

Patients with plantar fasciitis cannot bend their foot beyond the normal straight position and are unable to bring it closer to them. The surgeon also confirms assumptions about the disease after examining the foot and palpating the plantar aponeurosis.

The most accurate diagnosis is using MRI. In case of pathologies of the plantar aponeurosis, swelling is visible on the photographs. This study also allows you to see hidden fractures, fibroids or neuromas of the Baxter nerve. This helps avoid misdiagnosis.

Treatment

There are a huge number of folk remedies and methods that eliminate symptoms and treat this foot pathology quite effectively. However, before using any of them, you should definitely consult with your doctor, who will tell you which one can be used in a particular case.

Plantar fasciitis is treated using concentrated salt baths. To prepare them, you need to dilute salt (2 full tablespoons) in hot water (1 l). The procedure time is 30-40 minutes. After finishing it, you need to wipe your feet dry and put on woolen socks.

A good way to treat fasciitis is to use birch buds. Prepares from them alcohol tincture, which, in addition to the birch buds themselves (50 g), contains medical alcohol(100 g). The product must be infused for at least 3 hours. It is used to make compresses: a bandage soaked in it is applied to the sore heel twice a day (2 hours in the afternoon and evening).

You can try to cure the disease with a bath containing equal amounts of vinegar (9%), vodka and turpentine. All ingredients must be mixed and heated in a water bath. The sore heel should be kept in a container with this solution until it cools completely. Then you need to heat it up again and do the procedure again.

Potatoes will help get rid of the signs of plantar fasciitis. It needs to be cut into small slices and applied to the sore heels, securely secured with a bandage and wearing a woolen sock on top.

This compress is usually done at night. If, after removing the bandage in the morning, it is discovered that the plates have turned black, this means that the potato is fighting the disease.

Gradually, the pain will begin to subside, and the potato slices will begin to lighten. When treating plantar fasciitis with traditional methods, it will take a lot of time and patience.

However, persistence helped many overcome the disease.

A heel spur and its characteristic symptoms can be accompanied by completely different diseases, therefore treatment should be aimed at eliminating both problems. You shouldn’t ignore the symptoms of a spur on the heel, and you shouldn’t self-medicate, as this leads to health problems, and reviews from patients with this disease only confirm this.

Treating heel spurs is not difficult. Treatment does not involve the use of surgery; pain is caused not by the growth itself, but by the inflammatory process occurring in the tissues around the spur.

Large spurs do not cause pain to the patient severe pain, and small, barely noticeable formations, visible with X-rays, can cause severe pain, making it difficult for a person to even stand on his or her foot. The main methods of getting rid of the unpleasant symptoms of heel spurs and its treatment are physiotherapeutic procedures, special massage, as well as a variety of orthopedic devices that provide positive influence to unload the foot.

In the early stages of the disease it can be quite effective conservative treatment. Conservative treatment includes resting the foot, painkillers, exercise therapy, orthotics and other devices, and physical therapy.

Local injections of glucocorticoids can also be very effective. Most patients find relief from this treatment.

If, despite the treatment, pain in the heel area persists for more than 3-4 months, then surgery can be considered.

For heel spurs or plantar fasciitis, a limited fasciotomy can be very effective. The operation consists of partial dissection of the plantar fascia and removal of the spur.

As practice shows, successful treatment of foot fasciitis allows every 8 people to get rid of the disease within a year. If the treatment was effective, then in 95% it is possible to eliminate pain in the heel without surgery.

always comprehensive and includes:

The use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, special ointments, corticosteroids).
Rest. It is necessary to limit or prevent everyday activities that provoke the appearance of painful sensations in the heel.
Gentle walking mode. Put on shoes immediately after getting out of bed, as if you walk barefoot, the pain begins to intensify.
Wearing comfortable shoes. You need to wear models that perfectly absorb shock and have arch-supporting soles. The best option There will be sports shoes, as well as shoes with soft soles.
Physiotherapeutic procedures: laser, ultrasound, thermotherapy, shock wave therapy (for severe spurs);
Massage, performing special exercises. Perform simple calf stretching exercises a couple of times a day, preferably in the morning. Treatment, which includes exercises, is aimed at increasing the flexibility of the ligaments and strengthening the muscles that support the arch of the foot.
The use of orthopedic devices - arch supports, heel clamps, night splints. Overlays help cushion the heel area. You can buy them in many stores that sell sports shoes and pharmacies.
In order to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, ice should be applied to the heel area.

Note! You should not refuse medications prescribed by your doctor if he has confirmed that you have plantar fasciitis. Modern medicines help reduce pain and prevent further development of the disease.

For these purposes, the doctor will prescribe special orthopedic insoles and tell you how to do gymnastics. Without following these recommendations, there is no hope for recovery. The use of special orthopedic splints, which are applied at night, also gives good results. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect.

Fasciitis is best treated topically. For this purpose various

, which are prescribed by the doctor. You can choose them yourself on the advice of a pharmacist at the pharmacy.

Note! One of the most effective topical treatments for plantar fasciitis is Fasciitis stop cream.

To quickly alleviate the patient's condition, anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed. They help quickly relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Treatment, for which ointment can also be prescribed, is to reduce inflammation and prevent the appearance of micro-tears:

at night you may be advised to apply Ortofen or Cortisone creams to your feet;
the medications Ibuprofen, Diclofenac or Naproxen will ease the condition;
in advanced cases, only corticosteroid injections help, but they only bring temporary relief; over time, the pain may return.

Important! Corticosteroid injections should not be given frequently, as this can lead to rupture of the plantar fascia.

Along with drug treatment, you can try on yourself the methods offered by alternative medicine. They aim to reduce inflammation and prevent microtears that accompany plantar fasciitis.

The treatment period can take a whole year, and the plantar aponeurosis and Achilles tendon will need to be stretched. To do this, the patient will have to constantly perform special exercises. As an addition, a splint is placed on the foot (at night) to ensure its immobility in neutral dorsiflexion.

You can do gymnastics at home, but you should consult your doctor before doing so.

If you do not start treatment and endure the pain, then it can last up to a year and a half, and periodically subside and reappear. The longer fasciitis is left untreated, the greater the risk of ending up on the operating table. The goal of treatment is aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process and the cause of the pathology.

Regardless of the chosen treatment option, gymnastics for the feet and ankles is mandatory. So, you can do stretching - gymnastics aimed at stretching the muscles of the foot and calf muscles. There are other things you should do at home: types of exercise therapy, exercises for which the doctor will select.

The initial stage of treatment is to provide rest for the legs, you need to reduce the load, apply compresses at least 3 times a day.

A recipe for baths with is effective for treating fasciitis. flaxseed and potato peelings. Take 2 handfuls of flax seeds and mix with potato peelings, after which the resulting mixture is poured with half a liter of water and boiled until thickened.

When the porridge has cooled, you need to keep your feet in it for 15-20 minutes. The procedure ends with rinsing the feet. warm water, in this case, the keratinized skin should be scraped off.

You can also use your own recipe from traditional medicine if there are no contraindications.

Pain can be reduced by prescribing a course of medications. NSAID groups– Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Meloxicam. Ointments based on NSAIDs. To improve blood supply and reduce inflammation, a course of massage is prescribed, which must be combined with gymnastics.

Conservative techniques

If we take modern treatment methods, we distinguish kinesiological taping. The method involves applying an adhesive breathable kinesio tape to the heel area, which reduces muscle pain. The essence of the treatment is to stretch the muscles with a tape, which reduces stress and increases the circulation of lymphatic and intercellular fluid, and also stimulates blood supply in the foot.

Here are some popular treatments for plantar fasciitis. A common method of wearing an orthopedic insole is an orthosis.

In order to make them, you need a cast of the leg. The effect of insoles is to reduce pain, improve blood circulation and eliminate inflammation.

If you wish, you can make orthopedic insoles with your own hands using old insoles, cotton balls and a bandage, following the instructions.

Either separately or in combination with insoles, you can use a night splint in the form of a plastic boot. The splint is worn at night and prevents stretching of the plantar fascia. Using this method of treatment, you can reduce pain in the morning. The disadvantages include discomfort during use.

Shock wave therapy is a popular treatment. Also, for severe pain, blockades using hormones and analgesics can be prescribed. In extreme cases, it is necessary to perform an operation in which part of the fascia is excised or other necessary manipulations are performed.

You should not refuse medications prescribed by your doctor if he has confirmed that you have plantar fasciitis. Modern medications can reduce pain and prevent further development of the disease.

For these purposes, the doctor will prescribe special orthopedic insoles and tell you how to do gymnastics. Without following these recommendations, there is no hope for recovery.

The use of special orthopedic splints, which are applied at night, also gives good results. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect.

In many cases, anti-inflammatory drugs cannot be avoided. Doctors often prescribe the drugs Diclofenac or Ibuprofen, or their analogues. If the disease has progressed so far that a person cannot get out of bed on his own in the morning, and conventional medications do not help, then glucocorticoid injections may be prescribed.

To quickly alleviate the patient's condition, anti-inflammatory drugs can also be prescribed. They help quickly relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Treatment, for which ointment may also be prescribed, is to reduce inflammation and prevent microtears from occurring. At night you may be advised to apply Ortofen or Cortisone creams to your feet.

The medications Ibuprofen, Diclofenac or Naproxen can alleviate the condition. In advanced cases, only corticosteroid injections help. But they only bring temporary relief; over time, the pain may return. Such injections should not be given often, as this can lead to rupture of the plantar fascia.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Treating plantar fasciitis with painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications alone will not be effective. It should be combined with stretching exercises, proper insoles in shoes and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Shock wave therapy is considered the most effective. It is most often prescribed to people who have chronic plantar fasciitis.

Treatment, in which tablets are used only for temporary relief of the patient’s condition, should lead to stretching of the fascia. But a comprehensive medication and physiotherapeutic approach can quickly get rid of the problem.

In addition, it will prevent future fascial tears, which means the patient will no longer feel pain in the morning.

Ultrasound treatment may also be prescribed. Using this method, the tissues affected by the sensor are well heated. As a result, inflammation decreases and pain subsides.

Preventive measures in the fight against plantar fasciitis

In order not to fall into the risk zone of plantar fasciitis, it is very important to monitor your weight, because overweight– this is an additional load on the fascia. The choice of shoes must be approached carefully: women should not often wear shoes or boots with too high heels; when choosing a purchase, they should pay attention to shock absorption and supination.

Do not get carried away with walking barefoot on a hard surface. Since heavily worn shoes can cause foot pathology, they should be disposed of without regret.

If you feel pain or burning in your legs after an active day at work, you can use a cold compress to relieve such sensations. A bag filled with ice should be applied to the sore spot for 15-20 minutes.

Some massage with ice, using a paper cup previously frozen with water. Massage movements performed in the area where discomfort is felt for 3-5 minutes.

Doing them regularly will help reduce inflammation and significantly reduce pain. To strengthen the calf muscles, Achilles tendon, and stretch the fascia, it is recommended to perform a set of special exercises.

To avoid heel problems, you should:

regularly change sports shoes (sneakers, for example);
wear shoes with good cushioning in the heel area or arch support;
lose excess weight, if any;
stretch the fascia and Achilles tendon;
Do not jog on hard surfaces.

How to cure plantar fasciitis of the heel? There are many ways to get rid of the disease, but orthopedists often practice an integrated approach. The initial stage involves the use of ointments, gels and other external agents. If the pain in the heel does not subside, additional physiotherapy, massage and gymnastics are prescribed. By combining some methods of treating plantar fasciitis, a positive effect is achieved in 90% of cases within 3-6 months. Single-component procedures solve problems at the initial stages. If the progression of the disease reaches a complex degree and complex therapy does not solve the problem, the patient is prescribed surgical treatment plantar fasciitis (surgical intervention).

Thanks to its diversity, medical supplies can be used at all stages of the disease. These are ointments, tablets, gels, patches. Their action is aimed at eliminating pain, relieving swelling, reducing inflammation and restoring the elasticity of connective tissue.

Regarding pain, non-steroidal medications have proven themselves well, but their treatment period is long, which causes dissatisfaction in some patients. Medicines containing ibuprofen will help relieve pain: Motrin, Naproxen, Camelot, Nurofen, Meloxicam.

Effective treatment of plantar fasciitis with anti-inflammatory drugs. These include Chondroxit, Voltaren, Diclofenac, Contractubex and others.

Drug treatment includes injections that act like drug shock therapy on plantar fasciitis of the heel. Corticosteroids are injected into the painful area, but this procedure does not provide long-term effect.

The following physiotherapeutic methods are distinguished:

Extracorporeal ultraviolet therapy. The action of the drug is based on high-frequency sound waves propagating at the site of attachment of the conductors. The concentration of vibration movements causes blood to move faster through all vessels, accelerating trophism and tissue regeneration;
Magnetotherapy. Plantar fasciitis, which is treated in medical conditions, responds well to an alternating magnetic field. Under its action, blood circulation improves, which stimulates the relief of inflammatory edema and physical suffering;
Laser therapy. Thanks to deep penetration laser beams into layers of soft tissue, they perfectly relieve swelling;

If plantar fasciitis does not respond to physiotherapeutic methods, surgery. It is for this reason that treating heel spurs at home is not recommended.

Plantar fasciitis occurs due to the impossible process of self-healing of the fibrous ligament after regular load. In most cases, the culprits are weak foot muscles and inelastic fascia. Exercises to strengthen them are done under the supervision of an instructor. Usually, taping procedures (bandaging with tape) of the longitudinal arch of the foot are prescribed.

Which doctor treats plantar (plantar) fasciitis using taping? Gymnastics are prescribed by an orthopedist, and the procedure is carried out by a kinesiotherapist.

How to treat plantar fasciitis of the heel with radiotherapy? The procedure involves exposure to x-rays with a wavelength from 10 to 60 kV for short-focus therapy and from 60 to 250 kV for long-focus therapy. Penetrating into tissues damaged by the disease, they suppress growth pathogenic microorganisms, prevent cell destruction and remove signs hypersensitivity fabrics.

This physical therapy will also help answer the question of how to treat plantar fasciitis of the foot. With the help of ultrasound waves, the medicine, previously applied to the skin, penetrates deeply into the tissues and warms them up, which helps improve blood circulation, relieve pain and inflammation.

The procedure is similar to a massage for heel spurs and can be performed at home if the device is portable.

Plantar fasciitis of the heel, which is treated in the initial stages, responds well to special treatment and prophylactic devices - insoles and heel pads. Both of them are inserts for everyday shoes (without heels) under the foot. The selection is made only in accordance with anatomical features foot and degree of disease progression.

This method cannot cure heel fasciitis, but supporting the heel in its physiological position while walking will be useful.

A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis most often causes symptoms of pain in the heel area. When pathology occurs in a person, inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a thin ligament necessary for attaching the heel bone to the foot, is observed. The plantar fascia is needed to maintain the arch of the foot and the normal ability to walk by stepping on the heel, and if it is injured or inflamed, the person cannot fully move. The condition of plantar fasciitis is typical for athletes, people whose lifestyle involves constantly being on their feet, and it can be noted that women suffer more.

The disease affects the foot area due to the constant stress placed on the legs. Due to the physiological characteristics of the foot, especially the heel, when walking, a person has the function of shock absorption and softening of gait, which prevents injury and discomfort. Fasciitis can be caused by many factors, which we will consider in more detail.

The plantar fascia can be compared to a stretched string, which can take shocks and stretches, while absorbing and without causing injury to other tissues. But if the load increases, then pathological conditions may arise in the structure of the fascia, such as rupture, tear, stretching, and it can no longer fully protect the foot from impact external factors. An inflammation process appears, which can last for more than one week or even one month.

The causes of the pathological condition of the plantar fascia are associated with various factors, but in the first place is an increase in loads on the feet and heel area. This happens with obesity, especially if excess weight gain occurs quickly. Therefore, risk factors can be identified:

Pregnancy. During pregnancy, a woman intensively gains weight, plus an increase in the abdomen affects the nature of her gait. The muscles and ligaments of the foot and ankle suffer from this, and the diagnosis of “plantar fasciitis” is becoming common.

Metabolic disease. Many people with metabolic disorders experience changes in weight - obesity. Excess weight can be caused by hormonal imbalances, taking oral contraceptives, and stress.

Athletes. If during the period of intense training the muscles are in an active state and resist injury and inflammation, then after a person stops exercising, the risk of receiving a diagnosis of fasciitis increases. Often, former athletes gain weight and their muscles weaken, which affects their health.

Not only pregnant women and former athletes can suffer from pathology. People whose lifestyle or work involves standing for long periods of time are susceptible to inflammation in the foot area. This category of people includes salespeople, teachers, factory workers, catering workers, as well as athletes - track and field athletes, runners. It is worth noting that the disease most often occurs after 40 years, when age-related disruptions occur in the body.

Another group of reasons is associated with pathological conditions of the feet. Plantar fasciitis, or, as it is also called, plantar fasciitis, can occur in people with flat feet, club feet, and gait abnormalities. Wrong shoes have a negative impact on the fascia of the foot, therefore, when choosing shoes, you need to pay attention to the fact that the insoles are not too soft and that there is an instep support on the shoes. If the sole begins to wear out or crack, then it is better to replace such shoes and not risk your health.

It is worth noting that calluses, spurs and cracks do not cause plantar fasciitis, but have a negative overall impact on hygiene and walking comfort.

But foot injuries, especially in the heel area, can lead to unpleasant inflammation which will take a long time to heal.

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel area, and most often one heel is affected. If you do not carry out timely treatment and continue to put stress on your legs, then after a while inflammation may begin on the second leg. By the way, the disease tends to show symptoms for a long time, being in an acute state, but over time, without proper attention and treatment, the pathology can become chronic.

Let's look at the features of fasciitis. Pain in the heel area is more pronounced at the beginning of the load, that is, when getting out of bed, during the first steps after rest. Doctors even gave this feature a name - “pain of the first step.” Consequently, pain symptoms most often appear in the morning. When a person “diverges,” symptoms decrease. In the early stages, the pain goes away completely and does not appear until the person puts a strong strain on the leg muscles and heel.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis is prescribed after a comprehensive examination to exclude other pathologies. To make a diagnosis, the doctor studies the nature of the complaints, for which he conducts a survey, performs palpation and examination. To exclude ligament ruptures, the doctor asks you to flex and extend the foot, and also checks the ability to perform other movements.

If you do not start treatment and endure the pain, then it can last up to a year and a half, and periodically subside and reappear. The longer fasciitis is left untreated, the greater the risk of ending up on the operating table. The goal of treatment is aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process and the cause of the pathology.

Regardless of the chosen treatment option, gymnastics for the feet and ankles is mandatory. So, you can do stretching - gymnastics aimed at stretching the muscles of the foot and calf muscles. At home, you should also perform other types of exercise therapy, the exercises for which will be selected by your doctor.

The initial stage of treatment is to provide rest for the legs, you need to reduce the load, apply compresses at least 3 times a day.

A recipe for baths with flaxseed and potato peelings is effective for treating fasciitis. Take 2 handfuls of flax seeds and mix with potato peelings, after which the resulting mixture is poured with half a liter of water and boiled until thickened. When the porridge has cooled, you need to keep your feet in it for 15-20 minutes. The procedure ends by rinsing the feet with warm water, while scraping off the dead skin. You can also use your own recipe from traditional medicine if there are no contraindications.

You can reduce the manifestation of pain by prescribing a course of drugs from the NSAID groups - Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Meloxicam. Ointments based on NSAIDs are also used. To improve blood supply and reduce inflammation, a course of massage is prescribed, which must be combined with gymnastics.

Here are some popular treatments for plantar fasciitis. A common method of wearing an orthopedic insole is an orthosis. In order to make them, you need a cast of the leg. The effect of insoles is to reduce pain, improve blood circulation and eliminate inflammation. If you wish, you can make orthopedic insoles with your own hands using old insoles, cotton balls and a bandage, following the instructions.

Not everyone knows, but ignoring even minor pain in the foot is very dangerous. You should start worrying already when you feel discomfort when getting out of bed in the morning.

Most cases of foot pain are caused by plantar fasciitis. This inflammatory disease can lead to lameness, and in advanced cases, patients without outside help They can't even stand on their feet.

You can independently suspect the development of this disease if you notice morning pain on the soles of your feet in the heel area. Usually the unpleasant sensations subside, and often disappear completely by the end of the day. But they can resume after a long rest of the legs. Do not underestimate a disease such as plantar fasciitis. Symptoms, the treatment of which it is advisable to begin immediately, become more noticeable every day. As a result, getting up in the morning becomes a real torture, and the pain does not subside throughout the day.

At the first problem, it is advisable to go to the doctor. The surgeon will examine the sore leg and order an x-ray to identify heel spurs and rule out others. possible problems. He will also listen to all your complaints and clarify when exactly the pain occurs. Based on the description you provide, visual examination and x-ray data, the final diagnosis will be established.

In most cases, plantar fasciitis develops for a reason. The most susceptible to this disease are people with flat feet, high arches, overweight. Also, problems with the fascia can begin due to sudden intense stress, regular wearing of high heels and other shoes that are uncomfortable for the feet.

Fasciitis of the sole occurs due to the fact that when walking and other loads on the foot there is an incorrect distribution of weight. Normally, a person should rest on the outer edge of the foot and then move to its inner side. But with excess weight, flat feet and other related reasons, this mechanism is disrupted. The result is overstretching of the fascia, followed by micro-tears. They are the ones that cause pain.

Due to excessive stress on the plantar fascia, which connects the heel bone to the forefoot and supports its longitudinal arch, all the problems arise. Most often, the ligaments are injured at the place where they are attached to the heel. As a result, micro-tears appear that can heal on their own. But constant injury to these areas leads to inflammation in their place, accompanied by pain. In most cases, plantar fasciitis is also accompanied by an overgrowth of the heel bones. The x-ray shows a spur-shaped growth.

It is worth noting that women most often suffer from the disease, and mainly people over 40 years of age are susceptible to it. The risk group includes all patients with excess weight, problems with the spine, joint diseases, injuries of the heel bones, gout, circulatory disorders, flat feet and other similar problems.

It is advisable for every person to know how to avoid a disease such as plantar fasciitis. Treatment of the initial stages of the disease and preventive methods are very similar. Thus, the development of the inflammatory process can be prevented with the help of simple gymnastics and stretching exercises. But no less attention should be paid to the choice of shoes and insoles. It is advisable to use orthopedic options that provide good support for the foot.

Don’t forget about exercises to evenly stretch the plantar fascia. Every day it is advisable to roll your feet over any interior threshold with pressure. A regular bottle is also suitable for these purposes. Another exercise that can prevent plantar fasciitis is stretching. To do this, pull your feet towards you every day for 10 seconds, repeat this 20 times for each leg. Stretching the calf muscle is also an effective method.

If you neglected preventive methods and did not consult a doctor when the first symptoms appeared, then you will most likely need medication methods. Of course, first the doctor will recommend using simple ways, which help most patients who have plantar fasciitis. Symptoms for which treatment will be effective should not yet be too pronounced. That is, the patient may have problems with the feet when getting out of bed in the morning. But during the day the sensations subside and disappear completely in the evening. In this case, you can use cold: for this you can roll a plastic bottle with ice or just well-chilled water with your feet for 10 minutes several times a day. This method can relieve swelling and reduce inflammation.

Also, doctors in most cases recommend reducing the load on the legs, for example, giving up long walking and running. At night, the doctor may recommend wearing special boots that prevent the fascia from contracting during rest. In a hospital setting, various physiotherapeutic procedures can be carried out, which also give a noticeable effect; inflammation decreases after just a few sessions.

If simple methods do not give the desired result and plantar fasciitis does not go away, then surgeons may recommend other ways to get rid of the problems. Your doctor may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This group includes products that contain ibuprofen, naproxen, or regular aspirin. These may be drugs such as Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Diclofenac, Indomethacin.

In more advanced cases, corticosteroid injections may be prescribed. These are special hormonal drugs with a pronounced anti-inflammatory mechanism of action. Only a doctor can do them, since the slightest mistake when administering these drugs can cause damage to the fascia. And this will provoke flat feet and chronic pain.

A disease associated with inflammation of the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the foot is heel fasciitis. The symptoms and treatment of this disease must be known to quickly and effectively get rid of the problem.

Interesting fact! Another name for heel fasciitis is plantar (plantar) fasciitis or heel spur. Although the latter name is a misnomer, since they are not the same thing.

The root causes of heel fasciitis include the following:

various heel injuries(sprains, bruises, fractures, etc.);
flat feet;
systemic diseases(Bechterew's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, gout);
foot overload(long walking in uncomfortable shoes, doing light and weightlifting);
infectious diseases(chlamadia, gonorrhea, ureaplasmosis, dysentery, salmonellosis, bone tuberculosis, osteomelitis of the calcaneus);
diabetes;
atherosclerosis;
elderly age(at the same time, the vessels of the legs lose their elasticity, and blood circulation is disrupted);
excess body weight;
genetic predisposition to plantar fasciitis.

Heel fasciitis - symptoms andmanifestations (treatment must take them into account):

intense pain;
curvature of the foot;
redness and swelling of the affected fascia;
swelling of the foot;
formation of a growth in the heel area.

Acute heel fasciitis is characterized by a dull, aching pain in the foot that occurs every time you stand up. In addition, it is often accompanied by swelling, elevated temperature throughout the foot, swelling during prolonged exercise, impaired mobility of the foot.

If acute fasciitis is not treated, it becomes chronic. Plantar fasciitis at this stage is characterized by lameness when walking, the first steps after waking up are difficult and painful. The pain is acute, often turning into shooting pain.

To diagnose the disease you need:

Inform your doctor about all unpleasant symptoms so that the doctor can first make a diagnosis (heel fasciitis) and prescribe treatment.
In order to confirm the disease, a specialist may prescribe an x-ray, MRI or ultrasound of the soft tissues of the foot.

heel fasciitis,having unpleasant symptoms and manifestations, requires competent treatment, which includes the following:

drug treatment;
physiotherapy;
magnetic resonance therapy;
phonophoresis;
laser treatment;
X-ray therapy;
shock wave therapy;
ethnoscience;
operation.

Elimination of symptoms and treatment of heel fasciitis with shock wave therapy

In addition, with heel fasciitis, it is necessary to adhere to dietary rules that reduce inflammation and help remove excess salts from the body. So, it is necessary to increase the volume of fluid consumed, namely water to 3 liters. IN daily diet There should be cucumbers and watermelons, as they help reduce swelling and remove excess fluid from the body.

If you have heel fasciitis, you should not eat spicy foods, coffee drinks, smoked foods, sweets and chocolate.

During treatment, you need to drink freshly prepared juices (for example, cabbage, beetroot, apple, cranberry). Experts also advise drinking mineral water with alkali.

Regarding shoes, people suffering from fasciitis should not walk barefoot. It is necessary, even at home, to use special orthopedic shoes and insoles. Most often, such products can be found in specialized orthopedic stores.

Shoes must meet the following requirements:

heels should be low and stable;
orthopedic shoes must have a hard heel;
you need to choose only high-quality leather shoes according to size;
the presence of an instep support is required;
there should be no discomfort when wearing it.

The selection of specialized shoes should be carried out by an orthopedist, who, having studied the individual characteristics and severity of the disease, will select the correct model.

Treatment with medications for heel fasciitis is aimed at reducing pain, reducing swelling should help improve blood circulation.
Doctors usually prescribe the following drug therapy:

Voltaren

Non-hormonal drugs with anti-inflammatory properties in the form of tablets, ointments or injections (Voltaren, Diclafenac, Flexen).
Chondoprotectors (Artiflex, Chondrocerin, Artradol).
Blockades with a therapeutic effect (use of injections with corticosteroids).
Anti-inflammatory hormonal medications (Diprospan, Hydrocartisone, Betameson).

For heel fasciitis, comprehensive treatment is necessary to eliminate symptoms and pain, so doctors recommend in addition to drug therapy do foot baths.

A salt bath can help relieve the symptoms of fasciitis.

After completing the procedure, wipe your feet dry, put on warm socks, and fix themsick leg With with help elastic bandage under angle degrees.

Recipes for the most effective foot baths:

You need to take 2-3 tablespoons of sea (or table) salt and dilute it in hot water (1 liter). After this, the sore limb is immersed in the prepared bath for half an hour.
It is necessary to dissolve 15 drops of iodine in 1 liter of hot water. After this, the sore leg is placed in the bath and kept for about 40 minutes.
It is necessary to prepare a decoction of herbs in the following ratio: take 1 tbsp. l. crushed mixture of herbs (nettle, burdock, wormwood) per 1 liter of water. Bring to a boil and keep in a water bath for another 20 minutes. A bath with this decoction should be taken for about 10-15 minutes.
You need to prepare an appropriate container and fill it with water with added crushed ice. You need to take a bath for 10 minutes. To prevent your fingers from freezing, neoprene finger guards are put on them.
To prepare the bath you need to take 2 containers. Fill one of them with cold, and the other hot water. Alternately dip the lower limbs into one or another container, holding for about half a minute in each, the total procedure time is 10 minutes. In case of acute painful sensations, such baths are contraindicated.

For hot baths, it is imperative to maintain the water temperature so that it does not cool down.

Be careful! You should not use heating pads or hot compresses, as they will only increase the inflammation and pain of fasciitis.

To treat heel fasciitis and eliminate unpleasant symptoms, the use of traditional medicine is considered effective. Before using the compress, you need to prepare the skin by first steaming it in a bath. It is best to do the procedure at night.

Compresses - traditional methods of treating fasciitis

Potato compress. To prepare, you need to take washed potatoes and grate them. After this, transfer the resulting mixture into gauze folded in several layers (5–6). Apply the prepared compress to the sore heel, wrap it in cellophane and put on a warm sock.
Radish compress. To prepare this application, you need to take one clean black radish. Without removing the peel, finely chop (twist with a meat grinder twice or grate on a fine grater). The prepared mixture is placed in cellophane, applied to the sore spot and wrapped with a cloth, or put on a warm sock.
Burdock compress. You need to take one large washed burdock leaf and one piece of laundry soap. The soap must be grated on a fine grater and diluted with water to form a paste. Rub burdock with this paste and apply it to the steamed heel, secure with an adhesive plaster or cloth.
Horseradish compress. You need to take a few horseradish roots, wash and peel them, and grind them using a meat grinder. Before preparing the pulp, keep it in a cool place in a glass container. Apply the prepared mixture to the steamed skin, cover it with cellophane and put on a warm sock.

According to doctors, effective method The fight and prevention of heel fasciitis is therapeutic exercises. It helps stretch the heel fascia to its normal length, while reducing pain.

Advantage this method is that it has no contraindications or negative consequences.

For gymnastics to be effective, the following recommendations must be followed:

Perform the exercises regularly and follow the instructions for performing them.
Before gymnastics, warm up to prepare your muscles for the load.
After exercise, be sure to massage.

Warm-up is performed as follows: you need to stand in front of a wall at arm's length and lean against it. The healthy leg is placed in front and the diseased leg in the back. Without lifting your feet off the floor, you need to start squatting.

At correct execution the muscles of the sore leg will be tense. You need to stay in this position for 15 seconds. The exercise must be done 15 times.

After graduation therapeutic exercises, you need to secure the foot vertically to the shin with a bandage for a few seconds (15–20).

use only high-quality and comfortable shoes (especially when playing sports);
Before training, be sure to stretch the fascia of the sole and Achilles tendon;
increase physical activity gradually;
avoid hard surfaces when walking barefoot;
If you are overweight, you definitely need to bring it back to normal.

Heel fasciitis (symptoms and treatment are discussed in the article) is a disease accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. To restore your heels to health, it is necessary to take a comprehensive approach to their treatment, using methods of traditional and traditional medicine.

Elena Malysheva will talk about heel fasciitis, symptoms and treatment of the disease:

Heel fasciitis is one of the 7 causes of foot pain:

Plantar fasciitis is one of the inflammatory diseases feet, which is accompanied by the formation of micro-tears in the fascia of the foot. This disease causes severe burning pain and causes lameness.

If you have difficulty getting to your feet every morning and find it difficult to start walking normally, then it’s too late to talk about ways to prevent this problem. In such a situation, it is important to confirm the disease plantar fasciitis. Symptoms, prevention and treatment of this problem are the lot of surgeons. You should not engage in self-diagnosis, much less try to alleviate your condition. Even at the first and isolated symptoms, it is better to visit a specialist.

A surgeon must diagnose and prescribe treatment for plantar fasciitis. Although everyone can suspect these problems themselves. The first sign is morning pain in the legs in the area of the arch of the foot, which decreases in the evening. A doctor can confirm the diagnosis after examining the Achilles tendon and triceps surae muscle. Patients with plantar fasciitis cannot bend their foot beyond the normal straight position and are unable to bring it closer to them. The surgeon also confirms assumptions about the disease after examining the foot and palpating the plantar aponeurosis.

You should not refuse medications prescribed by your doctor if he has confirmed that you have plantar fasciitis. Modern medications can reduce pain and prevent further development of the disease. For these purposes, the doctor will prescribe special orthopedic insoles and tell you how to do gymnastics. Without following these recommendations, there is no hope for recovery. The use of special orthopedic splints, which are applied at night, also gives good results. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect.

To prevent problems and in the early stages of the disease, it is important to stretch the Achilles tendon and plantar aponeurosis. You can do this using simple exercises, in which the foot must be pulled towards you. At home, you can massage your feet either with your hands or using a small threshold between rooms. To do this, just roll your foot over it. In the first days the sensations will be painful, but over time they will begin to subside. With the help of such a massage, plantar fasciitis is treated, because when performed, the ligaments will work and the plantar aponeurosis will stretch. It is also useful to pick up small objects from the floor with your toes. They can also be used to collect the spread towel.

In addition to exercise, your doctor may recommend ice massage. To do this, you need to freeze water in a paper bag and run it over your feet for 5 minutes every evening. You can apply gentle pressure to the skin to stretch the plantar fascia.

Shock wave therapy is considered the most effective. It is most often prescribed to people who have chronic plantar fasciitis. Treatment, in which tablets are used only for temporary relief of the patient’s condition, should lead to stretching of the fascia. But a comprehensive medication and physiotherapeutic approach can quickly get rid of the problem. In addition, it will prevent future fascial tears, which means the patient will no longer feel pain in the morning.

Ultrasound treatment may also be prescribed. Using this method, the tissues affected by the sensor are well heated. As a result, inflammation decreases and pain subsides.

Along with drug treatment, you can try on yourself the methods offered by alternative medicine. It aims to reduce inflammation and prevent microtears that accompany plantar fasciitis. Treatment with folk remedies involves applying compresses to problem areas.

You can make them from flax seeds (you will need 2 handfuls) and washed potato peelings. To do this, mix these components, add 2 glasses of water and cook until a thick paste forms. Treatment for plantar fasciitis can begin as soon as the prepared mixture has cooled slightly. You need to keep your feet in it for 20 minutes. After rinsing and drying your feet, you can begin to stretch and massage the warmed tissues affected by plantar fasciitis. Treatment with folk remedies will give results quickly enough, if you do not forget to apply compresses regularly and intensively knead your foot afterwards.

When walking and physical activity, the muscles and skeletal system experience enormous pressure. The legs that suffer the most are the legs, which take on the entire weight of a person, and therefore the development of such unpleasant disease, such as plantar or plantar fasciitis. This is one of the most common pathologies diagnosed by an orthopedist - more than 10% of all diseases of the musculoskeletal system. As the disease worsens, it causes the periosteum to grow - the formation of osteophytes, spiky growths called heel spurs.

Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs

Mechanism of development and symptoms

The plantar fascia attaches to the heel tuberosity, supporting the longitudinal arch of the foot. With systematic or increased loads the ligament is subjected to mechanical trauma, which causes the development of an inflammatory process. At normal functioning body and lack serious pathologies In most cases, self-healing occurs. Regenerative abilities compensate for micro-tears, fascial tissue is restored and the disease disappears before it even begins.

However, if the functioning of individual organ systems is unstable, the immune system is reduced, or other failures occur, the inflammatory process does not regress. The tissue of the plantar ligament is gradually replaced by connective tissue, the elasticity of the aponeurosis decreases, and pain occurs.

Plantar fasciitis is a secondary pathology that develops against the background of other diseases that contribute to its progression. Symptoms usually appear at an increasing rate. At first, the patient is only bothered by pain when long walk or run increased fatigue. Then the unpleasant sensations intensify and occur with any attempt to stand up or walk. If plantar fasciitis is not treated sufficiently, the pain becomes constant. Many patients compare her character to a nail stuck in her heel. It does not leave a person even in a state of rest.

Microtears in the plantar fascia and hematoma formation

The disease causes degeneration of the plantar fascia structure, which leads to

Changes in gait;
Clubfoot;
The appearance of heel spurs;
Lameness.

The clinical picture is quite clear:

Morning pain;
A clear localization of pain is determined, radiating to the calf muscle and toes;
The nature of the pain is sharp, cutting.

Sharp pain comparable to a nail in the heel

Plantar fasciitis mainly affects people over 40 years of age, when age-related changes in the body affect the normal course of standard processes. Periodic malfunctions appear of cardio-vascular system, bones become less strong, and age-related pathologies develop—diabetes mellitus, thrombosis.

IN international classification diseases of the 10th revision, the disease has code M72.2 and is classified as pathologies of connective tissue and the musculoskeletal system. The causes of plantar fasciitis are varied but generally include various disorders precisely within the framework skeletal system:

Degenerative changes in joints;
Flat feet;
Congenital defects of the calcaneus.

In ICD-10, the source of the development of pathology is understood as the loss of fascia’s ability to regenerate. In addition to those presented above, experts note the following reasons:

Long-term wearing of uncomfortable or tight shoes, abuse of shoes with high and unstable heels;
Circulatory disorders in the legs;
Thrombosis, varicose veins;
Prolonged stress on the legs, work related to sports or serious physical strain;
Salt deposits;
Excess weight;
Clubfoot;
Gout;
High instep;
High arch

A long-term inflammatory process in the fascia leads to the formation of a heel spur, which intensifies all symptoms and is less responsive to treatment.

Plantar fasciitis of the foot develops due to an irrational lifestyle, bad habits and excessive loads. This complex of factors may not lead to the onset of the disease, but over time, accumulated toxins, waste, food waste, fats, against the background of physical inactivity and vitamin deficiency will certainly lead to a number of disturbances in the normal functioning of the body.

Usually, a visual examination and history taking are sufficient for diagnosis, however, if the patient has concomitant pathologies with identical symptoms, they should be differentiated from inflammation of the plantar ligament. Plantar fasciitis may be similar in presentation and symptoms to rheumatoid arthritis or Reiter's syndrome. In order to prescribe the correct treatment regimen, you need to know exactly the nature of the disease, its root causes and path of development.

To diagnose a spur on the heel, an x-ray of the foot is taken to determine the bone formation, but initial stage When the inflammatory process has just begun, there may not be any wedge-shaped growth. In this case, the patient is referred to general and biochemical tests blood. Increased level leukocytes will show the presence of inflammation in the body. Additionally, MRI and ultrasound of the heel, weighing, and tests for sugar levels may be prescribed.

Palpation of the foot and radiography - mandatory procedures during diagnosis

To find out the cause, the orthopedist carefully collects information about the nature of the pain, accompanying manifestations, and the duration of the discomfort. The symptoms and treatment of plantar fasciitis are inextricably linked: the specialist selects a scheme for eliminating the pathology, referring to its signs, which determine the stage of its development and the intensity of the negative dynamics.

Standard medical practice involves conservative treatment of fasciitis. Radical methods eliminations are used if gentle therapy does not lead to any result. There is an extensive list of possible methods for getting rid of the diagnosis of heel fasciitis: drug treatment, physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy, folk remedies. The advisability of using any of the options is determined by the doctor in each specific case.

Before deciding how to treat plantar fasciitis, it is important to explore all of the physical therapy options available. The most popular method is shock wave therapy. In addition to it, there are the following hardware capabilities of modern medicine:
- Ultrasound therapy;
- Balneotherapy;
- Magnetotherapy;
- Electrophoresis;
- Infrared and ultraviolet radiation;
- X-ray therapy.
Phonophoresis with hydrocortisone

All of these methods help improve blood circulation in the fascial tissue, relieve pain, and relax the muscles of the foot. If you strictly follow the doctor's advice regarding the number of procedures, their duration and the duration of the overall course of therapy, the desired result can be achieved very quickly.

With the help of massage, it has become possible to treat plantar fasciitis at home. In addition to the fact that this method in itself is pleasant, it can be used outside the hospital walls and without changing the usual environment, which has a positive effect on the patient’s condition and his attitude to the problem on a psychological level.

Massage helps reduce swelling and blood flow to the legs, which makes it possible to make them more elastic and firm. The flow of lymph to damaged tissues enriches them with oxygen and nutrients.

The inhibition of regeneration with spurs is caused by the loss of the ability of the plantar ligament to extensibility, which is necessary when moving or performing any actions. Treatment of plantar fasciitis through specific exercises helps develop muscle tissue and reduce the risk of injury.

Orthopedists have developed a whole range of training in order to get rid of an unpleasant disease and reduce the risk of its recurrence. Exercises can be performed at home, after consulting with a specialist. The frequency and number of approaches are also discussed with the doctor depending on the individual characteristics of the patient.

If non-pharmacological means unable to cope with the disease, the question arises, what medications help with plantar fasciitis. Due to the characteristics of the disease and the main symptoms, oral medications include painkillers that help alleviate the patient’s condition and partially restore his ability to work and move.

Medicines used specifically to treat fasciitis include a variety of ointments. Local application medication in the foot area ensures targeted action of the drugs and a faster effect. Among the most common ointments are Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone, Vishnevsky Ointment.

Specialized ointments for plantar fasciitis are:
- Golden mustache;
- Cream Ortho Tiger Eye;
- Shark oil;
- Croc Honey;
- Cream-balm ShporNet;
- Stop Spur.
Before treating plantar fasciitis using alternative medicine, you should consult with a specialist regarding its effectiveness and approved components. Popular among the population are ointments, compresses and lotions made from natural ingredients. Such therapy is not capable of harming the patient, but its effectiveness is not always sufficient. In advanced stages of the disease, only radical surgery can help the patient.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis gives quick and visible results only if it is done in a timely manner. When the disease has not yet caused deformation and degeneration of the structure of the plantar ligament, medicinal herbs and medications coupled with exercise therapy and massage will give a positive effect. However, if the patient stubbornly refuses to see a specialist and relies on his own knowledge and strength, the process can drag on for a long time.

To avoid the occurrence of pathology, you should follow simple rules every day. Measures to prevent plantar fasciitis include:
- Proper nutrition;
- Using comfortable shoes;
- Adequacy of physical activity;
- Maintaining normal weight;
- Stretching before sports training performed to prepare all muscle groups for the upcoming load.
Prevention measures

A disease such as fasciitis of the sole can occur in any person. It is impossible to insure 100% against this unpleasant phenomenon, but following preventive recommendations and exclusion of the majority possible reasons development of the disease will reduce the risk of its occurrence.

The most important thing is to carefully monitor the condition of your skeletal system and respond sensitively to signals from the body; in this case, it is possible to prevent destructive processes and get rid of the disease at the very beginning. Preventing plantar inflammation is always easier than curing it

Our expert - orthopedic doctor, researcher at the Endocrinological Institute scientific center Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation Sergey Gorokhov.

The first steps are very difficult

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel area. It is felt most strongly after waking up: getting out of bed, a person can hardly step on his foot. Doctors call this phenomenon morning pain of the first step. If you overcome it and, despite the discomfort, start walking, it will decrease or even disappear. However, the pain may recur periodically throughout the day, for example when a person stands up after sitting for a while.

The cause of pain is inflammation of the plantar fascia. This is the name given to the layer of tough fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom surface of the foot. In fact, it is a ligament, and one of the longest and strongest in our body. It, like a cable, connects the heel bone to the metatarsal bones and at the same time supports the longitudinal arch of the foot.

Where it all begins

There are several factors that can lead to plantar fasciitis. The most important is the development of flat feet. When the arch of the foot flattens, the plantar fascia becomes overstretched and develops microtears. The damage is especially pronounced in the place where the fascia attaches to the heel bone, so inflammation occurs here.

Another risk factor is if a person is overweight, which increases the load on the plantar fascia. Fasciitis can also be triggered by a change in habitual physical activity, such as too intense exercise or heavy work.

Gymnastics plus orthoses

If nothing is done, heel pain can last on average from 6 to 18 months. Then it may retreat, but soon returns again. Therefore, plantar fasciitis necessarily requires treatment - it is necessary to reduce inflammation and eliminate the cause of the disease. Several methods may be included in therapy at the discretion of the physician.

Stretching. This is gymnastics to stretch the muscles of the foot. Be sure to study and calf muscles, because tension in them aggravates the course of plantar fasciitis. This effective method reduce heel pain, but only if you exercise regularly.

Taking medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve pain, but cannot be used for long periods of time because large quantity side effects.

Wearing individual orthopedic insoles (orthoses). They are made from an impression specifically for each patient. It is important that the insoles are full-contact, that is, they adhere to the foot over its entire area. Only in this case will they restore the normal height of the longitudinal arch of the foot, due to which the tension of the plantar fascia will decrease, which means the pain will go away. Its severity decreases already in the first weeks of constant wearing of insoles. Today this method is considered the most reliable and gives a long-term effect.

On a note

When the area where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone becomes damaged, calcium salts begin to be deposited. As a result, a bony prominence or “heel spur” is formed. Many people think it is the culprit of pain, but this is not so. The pain is caused primarily by inflammation, and the “spur” is only its consequence. It is useless to smear your feet with iodine or bile, to hit your heel on the floor, or to buy heel pads. Contact your doctor and choose optimal method treatment.

Night tires. These are special orthopedic devices similar to a plastic boot. It should be worn at night to prevent stretching of the plantar fascia. Splints can reduce the pain of taking that first morning step. But they are quite bulky and not very convenient to use.

Shock wave therapy (SWT). Nowadays this is a fashionable technique that is used for various diseases. Plantar fasciitis is no exception. However, studies have shown that shockwave therapy does not always completely relieve pain and this effect does not last long. In addition, the procedure itself is painful, and the cost of the course of treatment is quite high.

Injections of corticosteroids into the site of inflammation. The drugs reduce pain, but have many side effects. In addition, with such an injection there is a risk of fascia rupture, especially in overweight people. Therefore, the technique is used only if other methods have not helped.

Operation. It is too last resort, which is resorted to if conservative treatment has been carried out for six months, and the pain has not decreased. Part of the plantar fascia is excised and its tension is reduced. This reduces pain, but can lead to accelerated development of flat feet, which means the emergence of new problems. If possible, it is better not to go through with surgery. Do not neglect the recommendations for gymnastics and wearing special insoles - this does not require much effort.

Plantar or plantar fasciitis of the foot is an inflammatory and degenerative change in the plantar fascia. With improper distribution of the load on the legs, long standing, and intense sports, every tenth person on the planet experiences acute pain in the heel. The disease is treated pharmaceutical products, physiotherapeutic procedures and traditional methods. At home, simple recipes are easy to prepare and do not require any money.

Plantar fasciitis affects many people, and it can develop in anyone. The risk group includes athletes, people with excess weight, flat feet, and “standing” work. Inflammatory processes in the heels occur in patients with diabetes.

Fascia is a connective membrane that covers organs, vessels, nerves and performs a supporting and trophic function. When inflammation occurs, the patient begins to experience severe, acute pain in the heel area. It gets worse in the morning and then goes away.

At the first signs of fasciitis, accurate diagnosis and compulsory treatment. There are many methods for relieving pain:

ethnoscience;
physiotherapy;
medicinal;
blocking the disease with injections;
surgical intervention.

Fasciitis is popularly called a heel spur. Calling the disease that way is not entirely correct. A spur is a bone growth, a consequence of plantar fasciitis that has not been cured.

Home remedies

At the first signs of fasciitis - acute pain in the heel area, you need to carry out the following procedures:

Give your legs more rest. The load on the feet should be minimal.
Conduct a shoe inspection. Avoid tight, high heels. Due to wearing uncomfortable shoes, boots, sandals, a person’s body weight is incorrectly distributed on the feet, and blood circulation in the lower extremities is impaired. Tissue elasticity is lost, and the first symptoms of the disease appear.
The pain will subside if you apply an ice compress to your feet.
Massage helps relieve acute pain. You will need a plastic bottle of water placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. It is used to massage the sole of the foot. Cold relieves pain, massage strengthens ligaments.
Make to order or buy orthopedic insoles and orthopedic shoes.
Simple foot exercises. It relieves tension in the leg and relaxes the ligaments. Stretch your lower legs and toes for 5 minutes. With the help of simple exercises, the muscles of the foot are strengthened.
Using a splint or plaster. If the pain returns and prevents you from living normally, it is recommended to wear a splint at night. With her the sole takes correct position. You can't put any weight on your leg with a cast. After removal, 2 weeks later you will need to undergo a course of physiotherapeutic procedures.

For acute pain, heating pads should not be used. Heat can provoke an increase in the inflammatory process. If a hot compress helps, it should be alternated with ice.

Pharmacy creams and ointments

The pharmacy offers a whole line of creams and ointments that effectively act on the heel tissue. Treatment of foot fasciitis is possible at home with the following medications:

Voltaren;
Diclofenac;
prednisolone ointment;
Viprosal;
Cotractubex;
Chondroxide.

External preparations local action well tolerated. Can call side effects. Before starting use, consult your doctor and read the instructions carefully.

Medicines

If inflammation bothers the patient for a long time, and creams do not help, the patient is offered injection therapy. The surgeon injects corticosteroids into the heel tissue with a needle, which temporarily block inflammation for up to 6 months. After the procedures, the patient quickly recovers.

For injections are used:

Diprospan;
Hydrocortisone;
Kenalog.

Traditional medicine recipes

Treatment with folk remedies is used by most people who have experienced acute heel pain. Exist different ways combating fasciitis: medicinal baths, homemade ointments, compresses. Components that relieve pain and inflammation are found in every home:

Baths from sea salt, ordinary rock salt, with the addition of chamomile decoctions, burdock leaves, plantain, dodder, elecampane, woodlice, nettle, celandine.
Baths with iodine. Add 4 tablespoons of iodine to 4 liters of water.
A compress of garlic cloves acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Keep the bandage with the mixture on the sore spot for no more than 30 minutes.
Medical bile compress. Before starting the procedure, the foot is steamed and wiped dry. Bile is applied to a natural, preferably linen, strip of fabric and applied to the sore sole. The foot is wrapped in film and a sock is put on. The compress is left overnight.
Pharmacy Bishofite is known as a drug with a high content of microelements.
Rubbing sore spots with tinctures of pine nuts or red elderberry.
It is advisable to use a compress made from a mixture of laundry soap and chopped horseradish before bed. Leave the mixture on the heel until the morning, after wrapping the foot with film and putting on a sock.
A simple method for getting rid of heel pain is a compress of unsalted lard twisted in a meat grinder. Apply it to the heel and leave it overnight.
Propolis ointment has anti-inflammatory properties. The recipe is simple: 25 g of propolis and 200 g butter melt in a steam bath, then apply warm to the heel. Put socks on your feet and leave the ointment until the morning.
Honey cake and wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio it is used as a compress. With constant use, metabolic processes improve, pain goes away and swelling of the heel tissue decreases.
Ointment based on propolis with the addition of petroleum jelly and butter in a ratio of 1:2:2 at integrated approach treatment relieves heel pain, stopping inflammatory processes fabrics.

Folk remedies for plantar fasciitis help relieve pain, but require complex treatment and a mandatory course. Before applying an ointment or compress, baths are necessary. They soothe, relieve pain, and steam the skin of the feet. Thanks to the baths, the ingredients of the ointment or compress are lighter and penetrate the skin faster.

Contraindications to home methods

Treating plantar fasciitis at home is not suitable for everyone. Not every person will strictly follow the necessary stages of treatment. The inflammation will be blocked for a while, but at the first serious load on the ankle the pain will return. There is a possibility allergic reactions to one of the components of the mixtures.

Practice and statistics on the number of people who have gotten rid of fasciitis at home indicate that it is possible to be treated effectively without visiting a doctor, pharmaceutical drugs and folk remedies. In combination with ointments, compresses, changes daytime regimen, nutrition, most patients overcome the disease.

About 10% of patients for various reasons did not achieve positive results. The main reason: a heel spur is one of the symptoms of a serious disease. Treatment for heel fasciitis should be complex therapy the disease that became the source of the spur.

Traditional medicine offers many ways, in addition to drug treatment, to overcome the disease:

electrophoresis;
laser therapy;
UHF, UVT therapy, ultrasound;
magnetotherapy.

If the fasciitis returns and the pain gets worse, your dermatologist may suggest a blockade method using corticosteroid injections. Their effect is assessed ambiguously; after the course, complications are possible in the form of suppuration, necrosis, inflammation of the tendons, as a last resort– fascia rupture.

Surgery is a last resort method to combat heel inflammation. It is acceptable in cases where all of the above methods have been tried and have not brought results.