Dr. Metzl said that plantar fasciitis sufferers typically feel a sharp stab or deep ache in the heel or along the arch of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis-related heel pain tends to strike those who overtrain, neglect to stretch their calf muscles, or overdo hill workouts and speed intervals. “When you have very tight calf muscles, they will pull on the plantar fascia and cause a lot of pain,” noted Dr. Metzl.

According to Dr. Metzl it is critical to address plantar fasciitis as soon as there is pain. “When the fascia comes off the bone, it gets chronically inflamed and can heal exceptionally slowly. Plantar fasciitis can be sore for months because the healing response is proportionate to blood flow. When something has a good blood supply like a muscle, it heals quickly, but the plantar fascia essentially has no blood supply so it can take longer to heal,” he explained.

Dr. Metzl underscored the importance of regularly stretching the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon, first in the morning and three times during the day in both feet.

Read the full article at Runnersworld.com.

The plantar fascia can get tight and pull where it inserts at the heel bone. This can cause inflammation which leads to pain in the in the heel and Achilles tendon. Dr. Quirolgico explained, “Over time, if this keeps on happening, microtears in the plantar fascia can occur, and as it heals, each time the tissue becomes thicker and stiffer.”

Flat feet, higher arches, sudden weight gain and some exercises can put people at higher risk for plantar fasciitis. Dr. Quirolgico said possible causes could be running too far or too fast without building up your mileage or speed, and doing repetitive movements, like running on a hard surface and in unsupportive shoes.

“The first lines of treatment [for plantar fasciitis] include calf stretching, massage at the bottom of the foot or arch, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, and wearing gel cups for cushioning of the heel,” suggested Dr. Quirolgico.

Dr. Quirolgico recommended stretches and massage to help alleviate pain and tightness in the plantar fascia. For a massage she advised, “Sit up tall in a chair. Place a frozen water bottle in front of you. Place a towel over the bottle so the cold doesn’t harm your skin. You can use a tennis ball or lacrosse ball instead, but don’t use a golf ball—it may be too hard.”

This coverage originally appeared in TheHealthy.com. The original article is no longer available online.

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The duration and recovery of plantar fasciitis ultimately depends on how quickly people get help and adhere to treatment recommendations. In rare cases, people with heel pain have actually torn or ruptured their plantar fascia. However, the treatment isn’t too different from plantar fasciitis. “It just requires a little more offloading to allow the plantar fascia to heal. So no running,” explained Dr. Quirolgico. Stress fractures in the heel bone can sometimes be mistaken for plantar fasciitis. “I see that more in runners who increase their activity over a short period of time,” said Dr. Quirolgico. It typically takes 6-8 weeks for a stress fracture to heal, but that varies depending on its severity.

According to Dr. Quirolgico the runner’s stretch is an effective calf stretch to help prevent plantar fasciitis from coming back. She also recommended rolling the foot over a frozen water bottle to ice and massage the plantar fascia at the same time. “Having that icing component helps decrease inflammation locally in some patients,” she cited.

Another option to help you recover is to wear a dorsal night splint. A dorsal night splint keeps your ankle propped up, stretching out the plantar fascia while you sleep. “But some patients don’t like wearing anything on their feet at night, so they end up taking it off,” noted Dr. Quirolgico. For those patients, she suggested wearing the splint for a couple of hours in the evening. “It functions in the same way as doing calf stretches,” she added. In addition to conventional care methods, acupuncture, may also be a safe and effective treatment option for plantar fasciitis, so long as the treatment is performed by a qualified practitioner. “Acupuncture is low risk and many patients get pain relief from it,” said Dr. Quirolgico. However, some patients don’t respond to acupuncture. “In that case I tell patients not to continue if it’s not helping them,” she added.

Read the full article at Everydayhealth.com.