What causes plantar fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that stretches across the bottom of your foot. It’s a ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot, providing support for your arches while acting as a shock absorber for your foot.
Your plantar fascia undergoes a tremendous amount of stress as it bears your weight every time you take a step. Over time, the tissue suffers tiny tears that lead to inflammation and pain in your heels and along the underside of your foot.
Certain factors predispose you to developing plantar fasciitis, including:
- Exercise like running on hard surfaces stresses the plantar fascia
- Flat feet and high arches
- Obesity (a heavier body puts more weight on the heel)
- Age (the older you are, the more prone you are to plantar fasciitis)
- Spending long periods on your feet stresses the plantar fascia
Any activity that involves repetitive heel stress and lack of heel support can cause this chronic condition.
How is plantar fasciitis treated?
Mild cases of plantar fasciitis may resolve with rest and conservative interventions, such as medication or orthotic inserts. Plantar fasciitis has a tendency to be stubborn to heal as the plantar fascia has a limited blood supply and receives fewer healing compounds and nutrients.
At Florida StemCell MD, Dr. Amin uses regenerative techniques to help improve circulation and flood the damaged ligament with healing factors. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections stimulate your body’s ability to restore tissue and reduce inflammation.
PRP injections
PRP is a concentrated form of your own blood that contains a great number of platelets, cells responsible for clotting and healing. When injected directly into a painful plantar fascia, the PRP helps the ligament relax and reduces inflammation, decreasing pain.
Stem cell injections
Stem cell injections direct these specialized healing cells to your affected plantar fascia. Stem cells can become any cell in the body that’s needed, so they help build healthy tissue and reduce inflammation.
To learn more about the regenerative techniques used at Florida StemCell MD to heal plantar fasciitis, call the office or book an appointment online today.
