Plantar Fasciitis Can Be Debilitating

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If you’re a NY Mets fan, you may have heard that Jay Bruce has been on and off the field since spring training with a foot condition called plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is one of those foot ailments that we see a lot here at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center. It can be very persistent and very hard to get rid of.  Let’s take a look at what plantar fasciitis is, and why it’s been such a nagging injury for this Mets outfielder, and for so many of our patients here in Monmouth County.

Fast facts about plantar fasciitis

  • “Plantar” refers to the bottom of the foot, while “fasciitis” means an inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is the band of tissue that supports your arch and inserts into your heel bone.
  • One of the tell-tale signs of plantar fasciitis is heel pain first thing in the morning. Those painful first steps upon getting out of bed can be followed by numbness, burning, and worsening symptoms as the day goes on.
  • Plantar fasciitis can be brought on by poor foot structure, shoes that don’t offer enough support, and overuse. In some cases, age or obesity thins out the heel’s protective fat pads, leading to pain.
  • Treatments include rest, anti-inflammatory medications, icing, stretching exercises, night splints, corticosteroid injections, and custom orthotics. It’s not uncommon to combine all of these treatments to finally get rid of a case of plantar fasciitis.
  • For cases that are persistent, shockwave therapy (EPAT) can be very effective, and it’s something we offer right here in our office.

Even though the cause of Jay Bruce’s plantar fasciitis isn’t public knowledge, he’s wise to take it easy. Staying out of the game and resting the foot would probably be one of the first things our podiatrists would recommend to reduce the inflammation. We hope that Bruce is back with the Mets soon.

Heel pain is extremely common, but it’s treatable, especially if you consult one of our board-certified podiatrists before it gets too painful. If you’ve got heel pain, make an appointment with Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, or Dr. Joseph Saka at our office in Howell, New Jersey. Call us at (732) 905-1110 or contact us online. We also have office hours on Mondays in Jackson at the Meridian Health Village.