Foot Ligament Injury
Plantar Fasciitis FAQ’s
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Why is my Plantar Fasciitis so bad I can’t walk?
The Plantar Fascia is a thick connective tissue on the underside of your foot, connecting the heel bone to the ball of your foot to provide stability and structure. When standing and walking, the Plantar Fascia is placed under stretch, and if these activities are increased, it can lead to an overload causing Plantar Fasciitis.
If a person has Plantar Fasciitis and continues with a high step count, extended periods on their feet, running or wearing poor footwear, it can become so painful that your Plantar Fasciitis is too painful to walk on.
Other Conditions that can cause heel pain so bad you can’t walk?
Plantar Fasciitis is the most well-known cause of heel pain, but what other conditions can cause pain so bad you can’t walk?
How to walk with Plantar Fasciitis?
We recommend creating a diary of your pain and your step count. To manage this, record the number of daily steps and pain levels out of 10 the following morning. If your pain increases, you should reduce your step count until your morning pain is at a more manageable level, i.e. 3-4/10 vas.
This is vital; for most patients, the pain controls their activity levels, whereas getting in control of your pain is essential. Once you identify your step count threshold, maintain this as consistently as possible while working on strengthening and stretching before increasing your average weekly step count by 10-15% each week as pain allows.
If you struggle with this, gait analysis may be required to identify any biomechanical patterns causing you to overload your plantar fascia. Based on the results of this, the correct shoes or insoles can be recommended by your therapist.
What can I do so my Plantar Fasciitis is less painful when walking?
We recommend the following steps to reduce your pain levels if you have Plantar Fasciitis
- Ice your heel
- Take Anti-Inflammatories
- Wear Cushioned Trainers
- Plantar Fasciitis Stretches
- Plantar Fasciitis Strengthening Exercises
- Reduce the amount of time on your feet
- Plantar Fasciitis Taping
Other Treatment Options
Home treatment for Plantar Fasciitis includes ice, anti-inflammatories and rest. Following this, treatment under the guidance of a Physical Therapist is recommended, who may apply taping to your Plantar Fascia to reduce pain levels, provide recommendations on footwear and, in some cases, provide a custom insole.
Plantar Fasciitis Stretching and Strengthening are essential for recovery, while steroid injections or shockwave therapy can be beneficial for reducing pain and inflammation within the Plantar Fascia.
Helpful Articles:
How to cure Plantar Fasciitis in one week?
Best Running Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis?
Physiotherapy with James McCormack
This is not medical advice and you should consult your healthcare practitioners before removing a boot. and we recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack before trying any of these exercises. James offers Online Physiotherapy Appointments for £45.
Related Article: How to treat a Bruised Heel?