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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