When you wake up in the morning, one of the first things you do to start the day is get out of bed. When those first steps are greeted by terrible pain, it can make it hard to start your routine, literally and figuratively, on the right foot.
Foot pain that’s worse in the morning can have different causes, but according to board-qualified podiatrist Ryan Golub, DPM, at Arizona Foot Health in Phoenix, Arizona, one of the most common causes of morning foot pain is plantar fasciitis. Understand more about the link between plantar fasciitis and foot pain in the morning, and what you can do to relieve the pain.
Plantar fasciitis is caused by an irritation, inflammation, or tiny tears to the tissues in your plantar fascia, which spans from your toes to your heel. When irritated, your plantar fascia stops being able to properly absorb shock from your steps and starts causing pain.
Plantar fasciitis is especially common in highly active athletes, people on their feet most of the day, adults over 50, and overweight or obese adults. High impact exercise, prolonged activity, aging, and having extra weight all place extra strain on the plantar fascia, upping the risk of inflammation.
Although plantar fasciitis isn’t a life-threatening condition, it can make it difficult to do your favorite athletic activities and go about your life. Without treatment, plantar fasciitis can be a long-term, chronic condition.
The most characteristic symptom of plantar fasciitis is severe foot and heel pain that gets worse in the morning. The pain tends to improve throughout the day as you get up and move around.
The reason your plantar fascia pain is more severe in the morning, or after long periods of sitting down, is that blood flow to the fascia is worse when it’s at rest. Once you start walking around, the blood flow improves, and your pain levels decrease.
If you experience morning foot pain, Dr. Golub confirms plantar fasciitis is the sign of your symptoms at your consultation appointment at Arizona Foot Health. His treatment plan offers immediate relief from foot pain in the morning while working to completely heal your plantar fasciitis.
Immediately, Dr. Golub gives you a stretching plan that you can do first thing in the morning to improve blood flow to the plantar fascia before you start walking. He also prescribes or recommends splints to wear at night to keep your plantar fascia stretched and loose.
Additionally, Dr. Golub uses amniotic growth factor injections and pulse wave therapy to permanently resolve your plantar fasciitis. Both of these treatments heal plantar fasciitis by repairing and regrowing the inflamed tissues in your plantar fascia.
Morning foot pain can get in the way of living your life, but it doesn’t have to stop you forever. For a comprehensive treatment plan that fixes your plantar fasciitis, make your appointment online or by giving us a call.
