Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis For Women

Plantar fasciitis is where you have pain on the bottom of your foot, around your heel and arch. You can usually ease the pain yourself, but see a GP if the pain does not improve within 2 weeks. (source)

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis For Women

Plantar fasciitis typically causes a stabbing pain in the bottom of your foot near the heel. The pain is usually the worst with the first few steps after awakening, although it can also be triggered by long periods of standing or when you get up after sitting. The pain is usually worse after exercise, not during it.

Common causes of plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the part of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia).

It’s not always clear why this happens.

You may be more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you:

• recently started exercising on hard surfaces
• exercise with a tight calf or heel
• overstretch the sole of your foot during exercise
• recently started doing a lot more walking, running or standing up
• wear shoes with poor cushioning or support
• are very overweight

How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?

Your doctor will check your feet and watch you stand and walk. He or she will also ask questions about:

• Your past health, including what illnesses or injuries you have had.
• Your symptoms, such as where the pain is and what time of day your foot hurts most.
• How active you are and what types of physical activity you do.

Your doctor may take an X-ray of your foot if he or she suspects a problem with the bones of your foot, such as a stress fracture.

How is it treated?

No single treatment works best for everyone with plantar fasciitis. But there are many things you can try to help your foot get better:

• Give your feet a rest. Cut back on activities that make your foot hurt. Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces.
• To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel. Or take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (such as Aleve).
• Do toe stretches, calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. (For towel stretches, you pull on both ends of a rolled towel that you place under the ball of your foot.)
• Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts (orthotics). Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts.

If these treatments do not help, your doctor may recommend splints that you wear at night, shots of medicine (such as a steroid) in your heel, or other treatments. You probably will not need surgery. Doctors only suggest it for people who still have pain after trying other treatments for 6 to 12 months.