Treating Plantar Fasciitis
Jul 13th, 2010 by admin
Caused by excessive pressure and wear on the plantar fascia of the foot, plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory condition which occurs when the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot becomes irritated and swollen. It can cause intense pain with an afflicted individual’s first daily steps, and is usually felt on the underside of the heel. This condition affects approximately 2 million Americans each year, and can be traced to obesity (which places additional pressure on the feet), long periods of walking on hard surfaces, weight-bearing activities, or non-supportive footwear.
Treating plantar fasciitis can be done in a number of ways, including physical therapy, stretching, surgery, rest, anti-inflammatory medications, or the use of orthotics. Of these options, the use of orthotics (such as foot supports) are the only non-surgical therapy to be supported by medical studies. Orthotics can be beneficial to plantar fasciitis sufferers in a number of ways. For instance, shoes with higher arches and softer heels can help to decrease pressure on a person’s foot and consequently alleviate their symptoms. Alternatively, specially-designed motion control shoes can help treat the condition. Additionally, the use of pressure relief shoe inserts can decrease pressure on an individual’s foot and decrease the pain caused by plantar fasciitis.
The type of footwear which can be used to treat the symptoms of plantar fasciitis varies and is dependent upon the gender and physical activity level of the afflicted individual. New Balance brand shoes address these variations and offer shoes designed specifically for men or women engaged in walking, running, training, or tennis. For instance, a female runner suffering from plantar fasciitis can find relief with New Balance’s Light Weight Stability running shoe, while a male engaged in training can benefit from New Balance’s Motion Control shoe. Likewise, New Balance offers a High Stability walking shoe in two different designs: one for men and one for women. This attention to details when designing shoes for individuals of different gender and physical activity level is crucial when treating plantar fasciitis, and is the primary reason New Balance shoes offer relief from the condition’s painful symptoms.
