Midlife Health: Plantar Fasciitis

One unpleasant sign of aging is the relative slowness at which our bodies heal in comparison to how they did we when were younger. Case in point, plantar fasciitis. If you are unfamiliar with this affliction of the feet then consider yourself lucky. But if you are a runner or have decided to fight midlife weight gain by starting to jog then be prepared for it to rear its ugly little self at some point. (It is also common in basketball players, nurses, and most anyone who is on their feet much of the day.)

Plantar Fascia is a ligament-like band stretching from your heel to the ball of your foot. This band pulls on the heel bone, raising the arch of your foot as it pushes off the ground. But if you foot moves "incorrectly", the plantar fascia may become strained. The fascia may then become inflamed and its tiny fibers may begin to fray, causing discomfort and the condition called plantar fasciitis.

For midlife runners it is often the result of either adding speed to your work-outs or perhaps adding it too quickly. Week-end warriors can get it in a pick-up game of basketball. It generally hurts right where the heel and arch come together. It can be particularly sensitive in the morning or after you've been sitting for awhile. Sometimes it will go away only to return after you've been on your feet for awhile.

The good news is that it is generally easy to cure though it can sometimes take many months and occasionally requires surgery.

What do you do? If you are in your mid-30's or older then you should error on the side of caution and address the problem aggressively. Immediately stop whatever activity brought it on, throw out any worn shoes you have (or save them and bring them to the podiatrist for them to use in their evaluation), start a program of icing, and get to a good podiatrist ASAP. Depending on your particulars, your podiatrist has a number of options to help you including: fighting the inflammation (perhaps via a steroid shot), taping your foot, giving you a "corrective boot" to sleep with, or prescribing physical therapy. Sometimes they will phase these in depending on how severe it is or how long you've had the symptoms. Coaches who work with older athletes generally recommend being as aggressive in treating the condition as early in the process as possible.

Even if it goes away on its own, it is still important to see a podiatrist so that they can determine if you need an orthodontic insole (a generally inexpensive devise for correcting any mechanical issues you have with your feet). Even if you go in because of plantar fasciitis, a properly constructed insole can help you with knee pain and sometimes even back pain.

The key is to address the problem before it becomes chronic.