Plantar Fasciitis: The Most Common Cause of Heel Pain Revealed!
You wake up and crawl out of bed–only to feel a sharp, stabbing pain shoot up from your heel. No, you didn’t step on a tack. It’s likely plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain worldwide.
Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that affects your plantar fascia, a band of tissue running along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes. When the plantar fascia becomes irritated or inflamed, usually due to overuse, it leads to foot discomfort (which then makes it harder for you to get around).
While plantar fasciitis is painful, it’s also easily treated with physical therapy. The team at iMove PT will work closely with you to rehabilitate your injury, providing immediate pain relief and helping you uncover what caused your plantar fasciitis in the first place.
Today, we want to give you an overview of plantar fasciitis so you know what you’re dealing with. Already struggling with foot or heel pain? Call us to schedule an appointment so we can start helping you find relief!
How Do I Know It’s Plantar Fasciitis?
Many injuries can cause foot pain, from ankle sprains to tiny stress fractures. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the location and sensation of your foot pain, as well as any mobility issues. To help you understand the signs and symptoms of plantar fasciitis, let’s look at an example case.
Sarah had recently taken up running after several years away. She loved going out every morning and jogging around her neighborhood. But after a few weeks, she started to experience discomfort on the bottom of her foot whenever she went for a run.
The pain usually started as a sharp, stabbing pain on the bottom of her heel, but she also noticed that the arch of her foot felt tender and restricted.
After experiencing the pain for the first time, she started to notice it more frequently, and not just after her runs, either:
- First thing in the morning, when she got out of bed
- While standing in a long line at the grocery store
- While spending a day walking around an amusement park
- After watching a long movie in the theater
When Sarah eventually visited a physical therapist to seek treatment for her foot pain, she made sure to carefully lay out all the times she experienced pain (and all the times she didn’t; Sarah noticed the pain tended to fade around mid-morning, then flare up in the evening). That, along with her detailed explanation of the pain’s location, helped her PT correctly identify her pain as plantar fasciitis.
Our Mobile Physical Therapy Services
At iMove PT, we offer a comprehensive range of mobile physical therapy services designed to cater to your unique needs. Our expertise spans orthopedic rehabilitation, sports medicine, neurological rehabilitation, geriatric physical therapy, and pre and post-surgical rehabilitation. By providing targeted, specialized care, we ensure that our clients receive the most effective treatment and support throughout their recovery journey. Our mobile services bring this personalized approach directly to your doorstep, making your physical therapy experience more convenient and accessible than ever before. We understand that every client’s journey to recovery is unique, which is why we prioritize personalized treatment plans, skilled and licensed therapists, flexible scheduling, and ongoing support. At iMove PT, our commitment to your well-being extends beyond treating injuries and conditions.
Physical Therapy: Frontline Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis
The iMove PT team’s knowledge of your body’s musculoskeletal systems means we can help you treat plantar fasciitis without invasive treatment methods (like surgery). While rehabilitation might take some time (usually a few weeks to a few months), you can resolve your pain through targeted foot exercises.
Here’s what you can expect when you visit us:
- A thorough evaluation: Besides reviewing your symptoms, we’ll conduct a comprehensive gait assessment and other movement screens to help us identify any biomechanical factors that might contribute to your plantar fasciitis.
- Pain management: We’ll help manage your acute pain through hands-on manual therapy techniques, foot taping, and other drug-free approaches.
- Therapeutic exercise: Stretching and strengthening exercises will help resolve your current bout of plantar fasciitis. We’ll provide you with a tailored exercise program, including simple exercises you can do at home to help maximize your recovery.
- Prevention tips: Plantar fasciitis is usually an overuse injury, meaning it develops gradually over time. A frequent cause of plantar fasciitis is starting an intense new workout program (as Sarah did). Faulty gait mechanics and other lifestyle factors can contribute to it as well. We’ll provide you with customized advice and strategies for avoiding future incidents of plantar fasciitis.
Got Foot Pain? Call Us Today!
If you’re experiencing foot discomfort or immobility, your best bet is to call the team at iMove PT and schedule an initial consultation. Be prepared to discuss your symptoms in detail–and to receive a customized treatment program that will have you feeling footloose and fancy-free in no time!
3 Tips for Starting a New Workout Routine Without Injury
As physical therapists, we’re fans of exercise. The CDC recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, and regular exercise will boost your mental and physical health. That said, you can’t immediately jump from a completely sedentary lifestyle to intense, hour-long daily workouts. For one, you’re likely to burn out and quit regular exercise altogether. But you also run the risk of injuring yourself.
Fortunately, there are a few strategies that can help you safely start up a physically active lifestyle:
- Talk to your physical therapist: Ever notice how workout videos tell you to consult with a medical professional first? If you’re new to exercising, this is crucial advice! Before you dive into a new routine, schedule an appointment with our PTs. We’ll perform a comprehensive assessment and help you guide you toward the right exercises for your needs.
- Start slowly and gradually build the intensity: If you’ve ever talked to marathon runners, they’ll tell you they spend months training. No one jumps off the couch and immediately runs 26.2 miles! Follow their lead and start with low-intensity workouts. Over time, you can add more time or more challenging exercises to your routine.
- Warm up and cool down: Make sure you begin every workout session with ten minutes of mobility exercises or light cardio and end each session with gentle stretches. Warm-ups prepare your body for movement, and cool-downs help bring your breathing and heart rate down to non-exercise levels.
Taking the Next Step
At iMove PT, we love helping our patients get active safely and at their own pace. Call us today for personalized advice about starting your new workout routine.
Recipe of the Month: Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 c chopped Italian parsley
- 1/4 c chopped dill
- 1/2 c chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2–3 tbsp mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 tbsp capers
- 4 slices whole-grain bread or everything bagels, toasted
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2 large lettuce leaves
- 1 Turkish cucumber, sliced
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado sliced
- big handful of microgreens or sprouts
Directions:
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Make the chickpea salad, placing all ingredients in a medium bowl, mix and smash with a fork until well combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Assemble the sandwiches.
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Spread a little whole grain mustard on the bread. Top with lettuce and a generous amount of the chickpea salad. Layer sliced cucumber, carrots, radishes and avocado.
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Top with a mound of sprouts and bread. Cut in half and enjoy!
Expert Mobile Physical Therapy with Dr. Jimmie Wilson in Southwest Missouri
Dr. Jimmie Wilson, PT, DPT, is a seasoned physical therapist bringing over two decades of experience to the Joplin and Southwest Missouri region through iMove PT. With a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a doctorate from the University of Kansas, Dr. Wilson has dedicated his career to treating orthopedic and neurological conditions, particularly among adult and geriatric populations. His diverse background includes work in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health, outpatient clinics, and workers’ compensation cases.
Dr. Wilson’s expertise encompasses advanced manual therapy techniques, neurorehabilitation, and pain management strategies. He employs cutting-edge modalities such as dry needling and the Neubie device—a neuromuscular electrical stimulation tool—to enhance recovery and improve functional outcomes.
iMove PT stands out by offering mobile physical therapy services, delivering personalized, one-on-one care directly to patients in their homes, workplaces, or other preferred locations. This approach ensures convenience and comfort, eliminating the need for patients to travel to a clinic.
By integrating traditional physical therapy methods with innovative technologies, Dr. Wilson and iMove PT provide comprehensive care aimed at helping patients regain mobility, reduce pain, and return to their daily activities with confidence.
If you have a need for therapy or any questions, contact Dr. Wilson at 417.529.7693.
