Is Your Loved One’s Heel Pain Due to Plantar Fasciitis?
It may have a fancy name, but plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. When someone has plantar fasciitis, the band of tissue that runs from the heel to the front of the foot becomes inflamed, causing heel pain. The plantar fascia connects the heel bone to the toes. Having continual tension and stress on the fascia can lead to small tears. It’s that repeated stretching and tearing of the facia that irritates it and causes pain. If your loved one has plantar fasciitis, she may complain to you or her senior home care provider about a stabbing pain in her heel that’s often worse in the morning.
The cause of plantar fasciitis is generally unknown but seems to occur more often in runners and people who are overweight. The following can put your loved one more at risk for developing plantar fasciitis but because its origins are not known, having any of these risk factors does not mean your loved one will develop it.
- Poor foot structure – People with flat feet, high arches, or a unique gait are often more likely to develop heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis.
- Shoe choices – Living in flip flops may seem like the perfect beach life, but consistently wearing shoes with no support can lead to and then aggravate plantar fasciitis. Your senior home care provider should review your loved one’s shoes to make sure they are still providing the support she needs.
- Being female – Females are more likely to develop plantar fasciitis.
- Obesity – Being overweight may put too much pressure on the plantar fascia, causing it to become inflamed and create pain when walking.
- Specific exercises – Because people who routinely do these exercises often develop plantar fasciitis, it’s believed that these exercises can lead to the development of this condition: ballet dancing, long-distance running, and aerobic dance.
- Occupations that require a lot of standing in one place – If your loved had a career as a teacher, factory worker, or cashier, she might be more likely to develop plantar fasciitis.
The best treatment options for those with plantar fasciitis.
Once your loved one begins treating the cause of her foot pain, it still may take up to a year for her feet to feel better, so help her stay on track with the treatments the doctor recommends and even once the pain has been eliminated to consider making many of the permanent.
- Ice the foot area. Cool ice will help reduce the inflammation. While you don’t want to put ice directly on her feet, have your senior home care provider wrap a towel around a cold bag of ice and let your loved one rest her feet on it.
- Wear supportive shoes. Toss those flip flops and high heels and make sure your loved one has shoes with adequate support for her arches and heel.
- Stretch. The doctor will recommend specific stretches to strengthen her Achilles area, which will make her foot more stable.
- Take a break from pain-causing exercise. Your loved one can still be active but should avoid those activities that cause direct heel pain.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care Services in Fort Valley GA please contact the caring staff at Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services, Inc. today at 478-745-5111.
Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Macon, Warner Robins, Perry, Gray, Milledgeville, Forsyth, Cochran, Jeffersonville, Eastman, Fort Valley, and the surrounding areas.
Angels of Mercy Private Homecare has been providing in-home care services since 2002 throughout the Macon and Middle Georgia Area.
Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services provides in-home care that improves the lives of the clients. Our services help them maintain the highest possible level of independent living. We provide In-home private duty care and care management services for seniors throughout the Middle Georgia area.
Our CNA (certified nursing aides), caregiver, and companion services allow our clients to age in the place where they feel most comfortable and secure - at home. Combine our Home Care Services, with our Geriatric Care Management component, and we provide the most comprehensive assistance for the Middle Georgia areas seniors.
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