Having Foot Pain First Thing in the Morning?

Plantar Fasciitis. Let’s say it together, PLAN-tur fashee-EYE-tis. If you’ve hung around the FAAWC enough, I’m sure you have run into this term. Whether you heard it in passing in the hall or saw it go by on the in-office presentation, it’s important to know what it is, because you may be experiencing it! 

When you wake up in the morning and (after hitting the snooze button several times) swing your feet onto the floor, do you feel a sharp pain in your heels or the bottoms of your feet? This is due to your plantar fascia, a band of connective tissue that connects your heel to your toes and supports the arch of your foot. 

How Does Plantar Fasciitis Occur?

Repeated stress on the plantar fascia causes inflammation and damage to the ligament. The inflammation may cause pain but the underlying structure of the foot is also changing, leading to more permanent symptoms. Small tears in the ligament can lead to calcium deposits in the connective tissues and may rearrange the collagen fibers of your foot.

Who Is at Risk for Plantar Fasciitis?

There are several risk factors that can lead to plantar fasciitis including:

  • Walking or standing for long periods of time on hard surfaces
  • Having very high or very low arches
  • Wearing shoes that do not fit properly
  • Rolling your feet inward when you walk
  • Having an excessively tight calf muscle or Achilles’ tendon

What Do I Do If I Have Pain from Plantar Fasciitis?

As always, the first thing you should do is stop all activity and rest the affected foot or feet. Heat and ice along with stretching and strengthening exercises will help with plantar fasciitis, but it’s important to see your podiatrist for a full recovery plan. This plan may involve taping techniques, custom orthotics, steroid shots, or possibly surgery as a last result.

If you wake up in the morning with pain in your arches or heels, you may be suffering from plantar fasciitis. Please call the FAAWC today to make an appointment so we can get you waking up to a pain-free morning!

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