Many patients across the country are suffering from foot pain all of the time. It can vary from mild pain that can slow them down a bit to severe pain that may make it hard for them to complete some of the common tasks that they need to get done during their work or around the home. Too many of these patients will choose to just live with the pain of plantar fasciitis and other pain that happens in the foot because it is so challenging to find the right relief for their foot pain. While there are a few options that you can choose to help alleviate the pain, one of the best options is to choose to wear custom orthotics to cut through the pain and make you feel better. But do you need to get custom orthotics and will these provide you with some of the help that your feet are looking for? Let’s explore more about what plantar fasciitis is all about and look at how these inserts will give you the pain relief you deserve.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
When you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you will have a condition of the foot that can result in inflammation and pain. The thick ligament that is right on the bottom of the foot, known as the plantar fascia, that will connect the toes to the heel bone can get inflamed and painful when you walk around. Since this is such a major tendon, you will find that it is important to the overall function of the foot. It will constantly move around, contracting and stretching, depending on the movement that you do. Because of this, you may struggle to walk, stand, or do other things during the day because the tendon is so inflamed.
The Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
There are several symptoms you will notice when it comes to plantar fasciitis. You will often notice that there is pain right at the bottom of your heel, especially when you first stand after sitting for a bit. The pain is most common in the morning when you start to move, though it can get worse with more activity throughout the day. Another symptom is that there will be periostitis in the heel bone. The inflammation occurs in the tissue that is around the heel bone due to trauma or repetitive stress and it can become painful. The pain can often radiate out, going to other parts of the foot and causing more pain the longer you decide to not deal with it.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis
It is also important to know some of the things that will cause you to develop plantar fasciitis in your foot. Some of the most common causes of this foot condition include:- When you have a malfunction in the gait, it can make this tendon work too hard and will eventually cause more pain than normal.
- Adding on too much weight too quickly can cause more stress on the foot. The tendon is going to work harder to provide stability to the foot and can wear out faster.
- An issue with fat pad atrophy. This will happen naturally as you age and will start to make the heel uncomfortable. It can often cause overpronation when the arch drops, stretching the tendon more than before and causing more pain.
- Repetitive motion in some of the physical activities that you do. This may cause an increased amount of stress on the tissue and the heel of the foot.
- The wrong shoes: When you wear the wrong shoes too often, it can wear out the foot and make the tendons work too hard.
How Can Inserts Help Relieve Foot Pain from Plantar Fasciitis?
Now that we know a bit more about plantar fasciitis, it is time to take a look at one of the solutions that you can use to help reduce heel and foot pain in your foot as much as possible. Keep in mind here that the plantar fasciitis condition is going to affect the tendon that will run along the foot at the bottom. When it is allowed to go on for too long, it can cause a ton of pain when you try to stand or walk for a long time. And you may want to work with a shoe insert to help take the pain away. These inserts are going to provide you with a great solution to fight off the inflammation and pain that happens when that tendon is overworked while you run along. In addition, the right insert is going to be able to provide the right stretch that you need for the plantar fascia. This is good news because it is going to be effective at preventing the condition and the pain from happening again. However, you need to remember that there are many inserts that you can choose and not all of them are the same. Picking out an insert from the store and hoping that it will work is a bad idea. You need to work with your doctor to get a custom insert to ensure that it will fit in your shoe and take care of the exact foot condition that you have.Which Inserts are Best for Plantar Fasciitis?
You must choose the right type of insert to help you handle plantar fasciitis. Not all orthotics and inserts will be created equal and choosing the wrong one could end up making the condition worse than before. One of the best options to choose for an insert to handle your foot pain due to plantar fasciitis will be one with good arch support. Arch supports are the best here because they can provide a good deal of support and cushion for the foot. This will give the foot and the tendon that runs along the bottom a bit more support than before, reducing the amount of inflammation and pain that you feel. It doesn’t take long to wear these to feel some relief. In addition, these inserts are great for improving your posture, which can cut out some pain that you may feel in the back and legs as well. And with the right insert, you are going to have an increased amount of stability as well. If you need an insert to help with foot pain, then the arch support is often the best one to choose.
What to Consider When Picking a Plantar Fasciitis Insert to Relieve Foot Pain
Outside of picking out the arch support in your insert, it is important to look at a few other factors to help you out here. As you begin your research, you will find that there are a ton of shoe inserts and orthotics on the market, so how will you make sure you get one that is perfect for you? There are a few things that you should consider when picking out the perfect insert for your plantar fasciitis. Some of these include:- How much you can afford to spend
- The amount of support that you will need
- The shoes that you will wear with these the most often.
When you bring all of these factors together, you will be able to pick out an insert that fits into your budget, is comfortable, and will make sure that you have all of the support that you need to keep the foot pain at bay.
What are the Benefits of Plantar Fasciitis Shoe Inserts?
Many patients are skeptical about whether these shoe inserts are going to be a good idea for them or not. It sometimes seems silly that you will be able to use a simple insert and it will be enough to make all of that severe pain go away. But they do. There are some other great benefits as well including:- Absorbing shock when you move around
- Enhancing your balance
- Increased stability
- Better posture
- Reducing pain and discomfort