Plantar fasciitis is a common, persistent foot injury
that requires proper treatment. Plantar fascitis results in acute
inflammation and severe pain in the fibrous band of tissue running
across the bottom of the foot. Because the ligaments, tendons, and
tissue in the foot move every time the foot is flexed, when they are
inflamed, every movement hurts, making daily activities very painful.
Once the plantar fascia tissue is injured, 100% recovery is difficult
and re-injury occurs frequently. But, therapies such as ultrasound can
hold the key to complete plantar fascia healing. And luckily, ultrasound
technologies are advancing and new affordable and portable ultrasound
machines are becoming available for home users.
Causes:
Because the plantar fascia can only stretch 102% of its length
without tearing, the stress of an extremely active lifestyle can be too
much. This condition of the foot is caused primarily from overloading
and overuse in jobs that require a person to be on their feet all day,
such as teachers and waitresses, to push heavy loads, such as shippers
and construction workers, and to participate in vigorous sports, such as
running, dancing, football and basketball. Plantar fasciitis is one of
the top five most common foot and ankle injuries among professional
athletes.
Poor biomechanics, foot muscle and/or ligament imbalances, and faulty
foot structures can also contribute to the development of plantar
fasciitis. Other causes include obesity and poorly supported shoes.
The inflammation in the arch of the foot experienced by plantar
fasciitis suffers can also lead to an intense stabbing pain in the heel
and eventually, heel spurs. For this reason, it is critical to properly
treat an inflamed plantar fascia at the onset of the condition with
ultrasound therapy or another modality.
Treatments:
The intense flare-ups of pain in the arch of the foot associated with
plantar fascitis can be best managed through conservative, regular
treatments. Patient education on how to treat plantar fasciitis and
self-care are critical components in healing from plantar fasciitis.
Patience is also key, as an inflamed plantar fascia can take six months
to a year to completely recover.
By modifying daily activities and exercise, wearing properly fitting
shoes, taping the feet, and massaging the foot arch, the acute
inflammation of plantar fasciitis can be minimized. After strenuous
activities, RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) is generally the
prescribed procedure for plantar fascitis sufferers. However, for 100%
injury recovery, using therapeutic ultrasound prior to RICE treatment is
best because the ultrasonic waves efficiently decrease inflammation and
relive pain for diagnosed or chronic plantar fasciitis within the first
48 hours of a flare-up. Daily ultrasound physical therapy can be a very
effective way to manage and heal plantar fasciitis and heel spurs and
is best accomplished with a personal, therapeutic ultrasound device.
For those suffering from chronic plantar fasciitis, foot and tendon
rehabilitation at home is now possible with the advent of portable
ultrasound machines. The ultrasound therapy utilized by these devices
can be used as an advanced treatment of plantar fasciitis and the
chronic tendon pain that accompanies the condition. Therapeutic
ultrasound can be used to reduce pain and heal foot and ankle injuries
twice as fast.
Ultra sound waves provide gentle deep tissue heating that decreases
pain and inflammation to speed healing by penetrating the skin and
causing vibrations in the tendons and soft tissues of the foot.
Ultrasound therapy relaxes muscles and decreases swelling by increasing
blood flow and oxygen to tendons and ligaments. Ultrasound deep tissue
stimulation can be used as a pain therapy system to control plantar
fasciitis flare-ups and can now be used in the comfort of your very own
home.
A home ultrasound unit works the same way as bigger machines, found
in physical therapist and chiropractor practices, but is more compact
and priced reasonably so home users can afford to purchase. Portable
ultrasound machines are also safe for use by the general public because
they utilize pulsed, instead of continuous, ultrasound waves, which are
just as effective when used on a daily basis. Plantar fasciitis physical
therapy involving ultrasound will provide users with immediate relief
and continual healing over a 3-4 week period.
Because plantar fascist involves soft tissue and tendon inflammation,
a specific kind of home ultrasound machine is required for treatment. A
home ultrasound physical therapy machine should emit 1Mhz ultrasound
waves. It is also important to purchase an FDA approved ultrasound unit
that is quality manufactured. The portable therapeutic ultrasound device
should also be covered with at least a 1 year warranty. And best of
all, with a portable therapeutic ultrasound machine, you can treat your
plantar fasciitis daily when it is most convenient for you.
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About the Author
Christine Beggs is the founder and CEO of EZUltrasound.com, the leading provider of portable home ultrasound machines to relieve pain and speed healing.
Over the past 3 years, Christine has strived to deliver affordable,
therapeutic ultrasound machines to anyone who needs them. Working
closely with doctors and physical therapists, Christine has first hand
knowledge of ultrasound therapy, its benefits and applications,
and has a passion for sharing this knowledge in her articles.
She
developed EZUltrasound.com to relay her continual dedication to
improving the quality of people's lives through the use of therapeutic
ultrasound.
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