Earlier this year, Cleveland Cavaliers center Ante Zizic’s season debut was delayed for a few weeks due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. This kind of injury is common in older people as well as athletes, and can cause a person a lot of pain and difficulty moving. We at Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates in Lorain frequently treat it, so we want patients to understand what they can expect when they seek help.
The plantar fascia is a shock-absorbing band of connective tissue that runs the length of the bottom of the foot, right under the skin. It stretches tightly under the heel bone, and when it becomes inflamed due to wear-and-tear or an acute injury, a sharp pain in the heel is a common result. The pain is usually worse after the foot has been at rest. It is most common in people between forty and sixty, and people are at particularly high risk if they have tight calf muscles, heel spurs, or are overweight. The impacts from running can also contribute to it.
Treatment for plantar fasciitis starts off converativeley, with therapeutic exercises to loosen the calves and toes. Patients may be given injections of anti-inflammatory medications and shoe orthotics to compensate for their heel’s loss of cushioning. Surgical options to release the fascia may be considered if the patient shows no improvement after several months, and the bone spur may also be removed.
Doctors David J. Hintz and Michael A. Wenowitz run Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates at 1740 Cooper Foster Park Road #B, Lorain, Ohio, 44053. To schedule an appointment, visit Integrity Foot and Ankle or call 440-282-1221.
