Diagnosing Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis accounts for 11 - 15% of all foot symptoms requiring professional care. Normally your doctor will take your medical history to find out more about your past and current condition, and your symptoms. It is important to provide him/her with as much information as possible.

He/she will give you a physical examination and check your foot and toe for any tenderness, inflammation, discoloration or unusual sensations. He/she will test your foot and lower leg muscles and nerves for reflexes, strength and flexibility. Normally with plantar fasciitis you will have pain when standing on your toes, a thick plantar fascia and reduced ankle dorsiflexion (ability to point your toes and foot upward) as a result of a tight achilles tendon.

Your gait (the way you walk) will also be evaluated to determine your bone alignment when you walk. Your doctor may check the soles of your shoes to see if you have excessive wear on one side. If the inside edge of your sole is more worn, you overpronate. If the outside edge of your sole is more worn, you underpronate. If there is no wearing on your sole, you have a balanced stride.

Occasionally X-rays, MRIs or blood tests might be requested to rule out other conditions or diseases (bone spurs, stress fractures, nerve compression, collagen disorders, tumors, rheumatoid arthritis) If unsure of the root cause of your deformity, blood tests might be requested to rule out diseases or infections.

An Plantar/Heel Spur/Gout Radiant Energy Therapy Device is one of the most helpful tools for a plantar fasciitis injury. Through the absorption of infrared thermal energy, tissues are safely and gently heated - increasing blood flow within the plantar fascia area. Your body's natural response to this increased temperature is to try to maintain a condition of homeostasis - a balanced environment or state of equilibrium throughout the body. To do this, your body responds with a rapid increase in blood flow to the area (this is known as vasodilation), increasing the supply of nutrients to injured cells and flushing out toxins (including lactic acid, commonly found in trigger points) to promote healing. Our Thermotex Carpal Tunnel / Plantar Pain Relief Device provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief with no side effects.

Our Cold Compression Wraps are recommended as the best by the Mayo Clinic, several professional sports organizations, and countless medical professionals. That's why we sell them, because they are the best. We have noticed over time that our customers are so fond of our cold wraps that they are frequently coming back and ordering a second one - this way they can cool one while wearing the other. The wraps are becoming very popular with baseball and soccer trainers, and the wraps can be conveniently stored in a cooler for quick application on the field when needed.

Ultrasound Therapy is also a helpful tool for pain prevention of tendonitis, and having a portable ultrasound device at home can be a powerful and convenient treatment tool. If you have symptoms or are recovering from a tendon injury, using ultrasound on a regular basis before your activity or throughout the day will help relax your tendons and muscles, diminish pain and inflammation, soften scar tissue and contribute greatly to the healing of your injury.

If you suffer from mild inflammation or pain after certain activities or movements use ultrasound therapy when you complete the activity and then rest and elevate your leg. Limit the application of ultrasound to a couple of treatments per day (the manual will recommend treatment frequency depending upon the injury). In between ultrasound treatments, maximize your pain relief and injury recovery by using the Thermotex Personal Therapy System. Proven Performance, Proven Relief - only found at MendMeShop.com. If you have been given a treatment plan by your health professional, make sure you adhere to it to ensure pain free living. In general, people who are committed to their therapies and exercises will have the best medical outcomes.