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Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is an injury affecting the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel to the base of your toes. Classic symptoms include pain in the heel upon getting up in the morning or after a period of rest and heel pain after exercise. People at higher risk for plantar fasciitis include women, people who are overweight, people who walk or stand on hard surfaces a lot, walkers and runners with tight calf muscles, and people with either flat feet or very high arches.

Rest, accompanied by ice, is the primary treatment for plantar fasciitis. Your physician may also prescribe anti-inflammatories. A program of stretching exercises is key to longterm treatment.

One stretch involves leaning against a wall with one leg bent and the other straight out behind you, heel to the ground. Hold this position for ten seconds, gently release, and repeat.

Another stretch involves squatting into a sitting position while holding onto a countertop or similar object. Place one leg in front of the other and keep both heels on the ground as long as possible as you sit. After your heels come up, hold the stretch for ten seconds and then slowly straighten.

If these therapies fail, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections, a walking cast, or surgery.