Arch Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)

Plantar Fasciitis is a straining and or stressing of the Plantar Fascia (Plantar Arch) resulting in inflammation, swelling and pain in the arch of the foot. The Plantar Fascia (Plantar Arch) is like a rubber band that runs from the heel to the bones in the front part of your foot. The function of the Plantar Fascia is to form a bridge between the front and the back part of the foot. The pains caused by Plantar Fasciitis is a first cousin to the pains of Heel Spurs and/or other Heel Problems. When the arch is strained it normally hurts in the morning when you first get out of bed or after getting up after 20 minutes or so after sitting.

The bones,ligaments and tendons in the arch are subjected to considerable stress throughout the day. And,if your foot does not work properly because of Abnormal Pronation that is due to a Morton’s Toe or other reasons, it will quickly result in arch pain which is a sign that this part of the foot is being overworked and is suffering from fatigue. The pains caused by Plantar Fasciitis is a first cousin to the pains of Heel Spurs and/or other Heel Problems.

People with arch problems should find out if they do have a Morton’s Toe . If they do many times they can easily treat their Plantar Fasciitis themselves. I believe shoes really have very little to do with heel or arch problems. In the end it all depends on the fact if your parents gave you a foot that worked right. Read the section on Inheritance to learn more about this.

If your arch pain does not subside within a reasonable time, it is best to look further in attempting to treat this very painful problem. A podiatrist will determine, through a careful examination and x-ray evaluation, what areas of your foot are under the greatest amount of stress. He may perform an additional lab test to determine if Arthritis is a factor. Plantar Fasciiti can be treated in a variety of ways through anti-inflammatory medications, or injections; by padding & taping of the arch, or by using various combinations of Physical Therapy methods. In some cases, a nerve is injured in the arch area, and a injection is needed to reduce the inflamed nerves. If the problems is due to Abnormal Pronation then an Orthotic device placed inside the shoes will help the arch (Plantar Fascia) from re-injuring itself.