Plantar Faciities

Plantar Faciities : Symptoms And Treatments

Heel spur syndrome Plantar Fasciitis  is commonly known as “heel spur syndrome”. It is common among people who are active in sports (i.e. running). This pain generally begins as a dull pain in the heel that may come and go. At times the pain may be sharp and persistent. The pain is usually worse after times of rest such as sitting or sleeping; therefore, more pain is noticed in the mornings or at the start of physical activities. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band on the bottom of the foot. This is attached from the heel bone to the toes and acts as a bowstring to produce the arch of the foot .

Running and other activities may place tension on the fascia. This prolonged tension causes the fascia to swell at the point where the fascia is attached to the heel bone. Injury may also occur at the mid-sole or near the toes. It is difficult to rest the foot; therefore, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible so that the problem does not progress.

The swelling reaction of the heel bone may produce new bone called heel spurs. They are not initially painful and do not cause the problem; however, walking on spurs may cause sharp pain. Some contributing factors include flat feet, high arched feet, poor shoe support, toe running, soft terrain, increasing age, sudden increase in activity level, or family tendency.

Keep in mind that plantar fasciitis may be aggravated by weight bearing sports.

Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis:

Improvement may take longer if the condition has existed for a long time. It is important to wear good shoes and to lose excess weight. During the recovery period, it would be helpful to replace weight-bearing sports with non-weight bearing sports such as cycling or swimming. Weight training will help to maintain leg strength. A sport is considered weight-bearing if the foot is repeatedly landing on the ground such as running or jogging.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis includes rest. Pain will be the guide to let you know when you should rest your foot. Ice can be applied for 30 to 60 minutes several times a day to reduce swelling. The ice can be placed in a plastic bag covered with a towel. Apply ice for approximately 15 minutes after activity. Anti-inflammatory/analgesic medication may also be used to reduce swelling.

If there is no help after 2-3 weeks, the physician may decide to inject the tender area with cortisone or a local anesthetic. A heel or felt sponge can help to spread, equalize, and absorb the shock as your heel lands. This would ease the pressure on the plantar fascia. You may need to cut a hole in the sponge over the painful area to avoid irritation. Surgery is rarely required for plantar fasciitis. It would only be considered if all other forms of conservative treatment fails. When necessary, surgery requires the removal of the bone spur and release of the plantar fascia. After recovery, return to sports activities slowly. Pain will indicate that you are doing too much. Your physician can give you the proper exercises to strengthen the small muscles of the foot and to support the damaged areas. This will help prevent re-injury.

Shoulder Pain

Does Your Shoulder keep you awake at Night?

Shoulder pain is a relatively common condition. Ordinary strains and sprains produce shoulder discomfort. Most of the time the condition is self-limiting and resolves spontaneously.

Some shoulder pains are recalcitrant and progressive. Pain may or may not follow any specific injury; it may be spontaneous. Patients usually feel stiffness and find themselves experiencing increasing difficulty in performing day to day routine functions. Pain eventually starts to invade periods of rest. Patients wake up several times during the night and find themselves rubbing their shoulders or popping pain medications. Some patients develop weakness and cannot raise their arms to the side or forward. In most cases there is no visible swelling or lump.

It is not uncommon for some people to discount it as arthritis. They think that since there is no lasting cure then they must suffer and learn to live with the problem. NOT TRUE! Most chronic shoulder pains are not arthritic and are relatively easy to cure.

The shoulder is a ball and socket kind of joint. It is surrounded by an envelope of deep muscles called Rotator muscles or commonly known as “Rotator cuff”. The cuff symbolizes an envelope like configuration. The cuff is further covered by a bony arch which provides shape and an outer configuration to the shoulder. The actual joint sits deeper, right below the bridge.

Due to several reasons, the muscles start to rub against the bony arch. This rubbing starts to produce irritation of the Rotator cuff. If the rubbing continues or a period of time, the cuff starts to erode. The final outcome may be a good size tear in the cuff. The pressure and rubbing is the cause of pain. Night pain indicates probable erosion of the cuff although this is not necessarily the case in each and every patient. This condition is also called “Impingement Syndrome”.

A simple office examination usually reveals the problem. X-rays are usually performed to obtain further information. In some patients, special investigations are indicated to verify tears of the cuff. Local anesthetic injection, at times, is applied to confirm the diagnosis of impingement.

Another common cause of shoulder pain is degeneration of a tiny joint above the shoulder, the AC or Acromioclavicular joint. Pain from this condition is usually on the top of the shoulder. One can usually feel a tender spot right over the shoulder. True arthritis of the shoulder joint is rather an uncommon cause.

One should always remember certain serious causes of shoulder pain. Fortunately these causes are rare. Bone tumors, serious conditions in the chest or the abdomen can produce vague shoulder pain. Nerves pinching in the neck or TMJ conditions are also relatively common but non-serious causes of shoulder pain.

Treatment of the problem is based upon the cause. Most cases are mild and relatively easily manageable. Medications, simple exercises, and physical therapy are the usual treatments. Most patients benefit from this plan. Some patients require injections, arthroscopy or surgical correction to get rid of the problem. For specific information on this condition, consult your physician.