Plantar Fasciitis Specialist
Global Podiatry of NY & NJ
If you’re greeted by stabbing pain with your first steps in the morning, odds are good that you have plantar fasciitis. Thankfully, there are several ways to treat this painful condition and get you back on your feet.
Sergey Losyev, DPM, specializes in plantar fasciitis care at Global Podiatry of NY & NJ, located in the Bensenhurst and Midwood areas of Brooklyn, New York, and Morganville, New Jersey. To find relief from plantar fasciitis pain, call or request an appointment using the online scheduling form.
Plantar Fasciitis Q & A
What is plantar fasciitis?
Your plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel to the base of your toes. This tissue is strung extremely taut in order to provide critical support for your arches. If tiny tears develop in your plantar fascia, it leads to the characteristic pain and inflammation of plantar fasciitis.
The pain is usually short-lived and comes on with your first steps in the morning or after a period of prolonged inactivity. This is because the band of tissue shrinks when your feet aren’t in use. When you first get up, the initial lengthening of your damaged plantar fascia can cause searing pain that’s felt in your heels or along the bottoms of your feet.
Although the pain typically subsides as the tissue stretches out, pain comes back after rest. In addition to the compromised ligament, heel spurs may form as a result of plantar fasciitis.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
There are many factors that put you at risk of developing plantar fasciitis, including:
- Carrying extra weight
- Spending long periods on your feet
- Age (it typically develops between the ages of 40 and 60)
- Repeated stresses from concussive exercises, such as running
- High or low arches
- Excessive pronation (your feet roll inward when you walk)
- Tight Achilles tendon or calf muscles
While plantar fasciitis isn’t necessarily dangerous, it doesn’t go away on its own unless you seek treatment through an expert like Dr. Losyev. This is important because prolonged plantar fasciitis can lead to a change in your gait, which can have a cascading effect on your other joints.
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
After a review of your symptoms and your lifestyle, Dr. Losyev designs a treatment plan that provides you with much-needed relief. In most cases, Dr. Losyev can treat plantar fasciitis conservatively with:
- Rest
- Night splints
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapy and stretching exercises
- Custom orthotics
If your plantar fasciitis persists, Dr. Losyev may recommend noninvasive shockwave therapy. This revolutionary treatment sends waves of pressure to inflamed tissue to stimulate your body’s natural healing response and increase blood flow, reducing pain within just a few hours.
If you’d like to find relief from plantar fasciitis, call the Global Podiatry of NY & NJ office nearest you or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.