Plantar Fasciitis / Plantar Tendinopathy           By: Ms. Katie Dunoon (Masters of Physiotherapy)

Commonly referred to a ‘Plantar Fascitis’, plantar tendinopathy is an overuse condition of the plantar fascia found on the base of your foot. Pain is generally found around the base of the heel causing discomfort in the initial stages of load which does tend to “warm-up”.

THE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Gradual onset – has progressively become worse over time
• Pain is worse in the morning
• Pain decreases with activity ‘tendon warm up’ but will return after activity ceases
• A recent increase in body weight causing increasing tendon loading
• Tenderness on palpation along the medial fascia
• Stretching the plantar fascia may reproduce pain

THE COMMON TREATMENT APPROACH 

Soft-tissue Release:

Manual therapy: Reduces muscle surrounding the tendon and increases range of motion

Spikey Ball facia release (see below)

Rolling feet out with an iced water bottle (see below)

Load Management:

Decrease training load or compressive/ tensile forces on the tendon to offload it

Wearing appropriate shoes with a heel in it to offload the tendon

Taping to offload the tendon

Re-loading the tendon progressively, when appropriate, through physiotherapy guided rehab program

Medication:

Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs to assist reduction of acute inflammation in the early phase are often quite effective. Cortisone or steroidal injection can also relieve inflammation and pain, however, is not consistent and not encouraged as long term management.