What Happens If You Live With an Untreated Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a common health condition that everyone experience in some part of their life. It’s common in people over the age of 40 and if you are younger than 20 there are so fewer risks of developing a condition like this.
In most cases, it goes away by itself after a few days or weeks. However, if you are experiencing pain in your heel for more than a month, this might mean your plantar fasciitis has turned into a serious condition.
So, are going to treat it right away or going to wait for more until it goes away by itself?
If it doesn’t heal by itself then seek medical treatment immediately, but if you don’t then there can be some painful situation you will need to experience.
That’s why in this article, we are going to explain what can happen if you live with untreated plantar fasciitis so that you can get your treatment done right before your pain gets worse.
Consequences of Untreated Plantar Fasciitis
After developing plantar fasciitis you will feel discomfort in your feel for the starting days. As it grows older, it will start showing more symptoms like inflammation, burning pain, swelling, and redness. You may feel these symptoms in the first week, but if it’s left untreated for a longer duration, the following complications may arise:
Tear and Wear in Plantar Fascia
The most common complication to arise during plantar fasciitis is wear and tear in the plantar fascia. It’s a thick ligament inside your heel that connects your heel to your bone. It’s the only cause of this condition and it usually occurs if you apply too much pressure on your foot or stretch it suddenly.
Sometimes the tears are so small that you may not feel pain but they keep appearing which makes the condition worse. If not treated on time, their number and size increase over time. After some time they may start causing inflammation.
Plantar Rupture
After the tearing of the plantar fascia, the worst thing that could happen is the rupture which is also known as plantar fibromatosis. After the scars develop, if the person continues to perform high-pressure activities such as jogging and standing for a long duration, then it can make their fascia rupture.
The rupture of the fascia is painful. If you have one you will hear a loud popping sound at the moment it bursts. It will cause you bruising, intense pain, and swelling in, the foot but your heel is going to cause pain more. Your heel may turn purple after fascia breaks.
Normal activities like walking will become so hard for you due to intense pain and if you put too much weight on the affected foot, you will feel unbearable pain.
In such kind of condition, make sure you visit your doctor as soon as possible since the more time you take, the more the pain you will feel.
People usually take steroid injections to relieve the pain. Your doctor will recommend you wear crutches until your fascia is fully recovered.
It may take anywhere from 9 to 12 weeks for a full recovery.
Sometimes it may happen due to genetics or aging as well, but the most common reason is an injury in the foot or untreated plantar fasciitis.
Heel Spurs
A long time ago, many researchers used to think that plantar fasciitis is caused by heel spurs but later, it was found that it’s the opposite.
It’s a common result of neglected plantar fasciitis, it’s an alternative to plantar rupture which means you may either have a fascia rupture or a heel spurs.
Your body sends an army of cells to the site of the problem in an attempt to defend the arch of your foot and limit damage, and they begin depositing calcium. These deposits can harden into a sharp bony structure that pierces the fatty pad of the heel, causing excruciating discomfort with every stride.
One thing to keep in mind, heel spurs take time to build up, it takes months and when it’s finally built it starts causing pain. That’s why if you want to avoid it don’t take time to treat your plantar facilities.
Medical Treatments For Plantar Fasciitis
Home remedies are really effective, but they aren’t for everyone!
If your plantar fasciitis is new then there are more chances that the natural treatments may work for you but if it’s serious, or a month older then they may not work. They may also not work if you are older, have a weak immune system, or have poor blood circulation.
Suffering from these problems means home remedies are useless, so you must use some not her type of treatment!
And for such situations. Medical treatment is the best treatment available for you and when you visit your doctor, they will Rex and these treatments!
1. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is an important component of plantar fasciitis treatment.
Your plantar fascia and Achilles tendons will benefit from stretching.
A physical therapist can offer you exercises to strengthen your lower leg muscles, which can help you walk more steadily and reduce the strain on your plantar fascia.
2. Anti-inflammatory Medicines
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines can relieve your pain and minimize plantar fascia inflammation. For several weeks, your doctor may prescribe multiple dosages every day.
3. Steroid Injections
If your pain is severe or not responding to NSAIDs, you may want to consider getting a steroid injection.
The steroid is injected into the area of your plantar fascia that is the most uncomfortable. It may relieve your discomfort for a month or so, but it will keep the inflammation at bay for much longer.
4. Shock Therapy
If pain persists despite various treatments, your doctor may suggest extracorporeal shock wave therapy.
Sound waves are used to assault your heel in order to stimulate ligament mending. The following are some of the possible side effects of this treatment: • Pain • Swelling • Bruising
5. Surgery
The plantar fascia is removed from the heel bone during this procedure.
If you have significant pain or a stubborn ailment that hasn’t responded to prior therapies, surgery is usually the last option. You’ll most likely return home the same day.
Does Untreated Plantar Fasciitis Impact Daily Tasks?
Yes, if you leave plantar fasciitis untreated it can significantly impact daily tasks, here’s how:
1. Pain While Standing: Standing for too long means putting pressure on the injured plantar fascia, which can intensify the pain overtime and damage the fascia even further, especially if you stand for long periods of time, or try to stand after long periods of rest or inactivity.
2. Difficulty In Walking: It’s painful while standing, so of course it’s even more painful while walking. You can experience sharp and throbbing pain that can make even simple walks painful. Some people even change their gait to try reducing the pain. However, this isn’t the best solution because it puts pressure on other body parts, leading to strain and even more discomfort.
3. Reduced Endurance: After your plantar fascia gets damaged, daily activities like walking, standing or even simple chores will feel extremely uncomfortable, it may even become harder for you to continue them for a long time and you can get tired of them much easily.
How Long Can You Live With Plantar Fasciitis Before It Worsens?
The duration of living with plantar Fasciitis before it worsens can depend on varies factors, that’s why here’s more info:
1. Initial Pain: At the start, most patients will experience plantar fasciitis with mild heel pain that can persist for weeks id months.
2. Progression: If left untreated, plantar fasciitis will continue to grow, the inflammation and strain will also start worsening, especially if you walk, run, or stand for long periods. The situation can get worse even faster if these activities are done on hard surfaces.
3. Complications: If left untreated for months to years, the untreated plantar fasciitis will lead to multiple complications such as chronic pain, heel spurs, changes in gait and even pain in other body parts. Therefore, remember it’s never a good idea to keep the plantar fasciitis untreated.
How does untreated plantar fasciitis impact athletic performance and exercise routines?
Untreated plantar fasciitis can significantly impact athletic performance and exercise routines. The condition often causes persistent heel pain, especially during weight-bearing activities like running or jumping. This pain can limit the intensity, duration, and variety of exercises an individual can perform. Athletes may find it difficult to push themselves, leading to decreased endurance and performance levels. Additionally, the discomfort might force them to avoid certain exercises altogether, hindering their training progress and overall athletic achievements.
Can untreated plantar fasciitis cause stiffness and limited movement in the affected foot?
Yes, untreated plantar fasciitis can lead to stiffness and limited movement in the affected foot. The persistent pain and inflammation associated with plantar fasciitis can cause the muscles and tendons in the foot to tighten, leading to decreased flexibility and restricted movement. Over time, this stiffness can worsen, affecting the overall range of motion in the foot and making it challenging to perform activities that require bending or stretching of the foot, such as walking, running, or even simple tasks like climbing stairs.
Does untreated plantar fasciitis lead to chronic foot inflammation?
Yes, untreated plantar fasciitis can lead to chronic foot inflammation. The plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that supports the arch of the foot, becomes inflamed and irritated in plantar fasciitis. Without proper treatment, this inflammation can persist, causing ongoing discomfort and pain. Chronic inflammation not only worsens the symptoms but can also lead to other complications, making it crucial to address plantar fasciitis promptly to prevent long-term issues.
Can untreated plantar fasciitis lead to permanent damage or irreversible changes in the foot’s structure?
Yes, untreated plantar fasciitis can potentially lead to permanent damage or irreversible changes in the foot’s structure. Chronic inflammation and strain on the plantar fascia can cause microtears and degeneration of the tissue.
How Does The Severity Of Plantar Fasciitis Influence The Choice Of Treatment?
Your plantar fasciitis treatment usually depends on how severe your condition is, and here’s how it goes:
1.Mild to moderate:
Mild or moderate plantar fasciitis is usually the starting phase, when the tears in plantar fascia are still new and you have started experiencing pain very recently.
This stage of plantar fasciitis can be easily resolved with a proper care and home treatments like rest, ice therapy or stretching. However, Physical therapy can also be recommend to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility.
2.Moderate to severe cases:
This phase appears when you have been suffering from plantar fasciitis for a while but haven’t got the treatment yet. Always remember, the longer you wait, the serious will the condition get and the tears in plantar fascia will just increase.
This is where medical treatment like EWST and PRP is needed. EWST is a non-invasive treatment that uses shock waves to stimulate healing. While PRP is a concentrate form of patient’s own platelets which promote healing. Both treatment are reliable and provide an easy healing, so do not wait more if you are at this stage.
3. Persistent or chronic cases: If Plantar fasciitis is left untreated for even a longer duration then it might lead to plantar rupture, a condition where your plantar fascia is too damage to the point it ruptures, It’s a serious condition that requires surgery.
Surgery might also be considered if all the other treatments failed to work or couldn’t give you enough relief. It’s also a good choice if you suffer from plantar fasciitis again and again despite getting the treatment.
Does Untreated Plantar Fasciitis Make You More Likely To Have Surgery?
Yes, an untreated plantar fasciitis will heavily increase your chances of having a surgery, since not getting any treatment and leaving the injury untreated can lead to even more chronic conditions such as degeneration of plantar fascia, heels spurs, and further damage to the fascia, all of these situations can easily become serious enough to make conservative treatments ineffective on your injury, and the only thing that may be able to help you out will be a surgery.
Will Untreated Plantar Fasciitis Cause Pain Even When The Feet isn’t Bearing Any Weight?
Yes, when you leave an injury untreated it will cause more and more pain in return. Which means even if you aren’t bearing any weight on your feet, it can cause discomfort. Normally plantar Fasciitis is most painful in the early morning after you wake up, or during intense activities, but leaving it untreated will allow it to cause much more discomfort just all the time. This can happen even when you are just sitting, resting or sleeping, which can make living life normally really hard.
How Does Untreated Plantar Fasciitis Affect Overall Posture and Alignment?
Unfortunately, untreated plantar Fasciitis can negatively affect your entire posture and alignment if it gets worse. This can happen when the foot pain has become really persistent, which makes people chance the way they walk, this altered gait happens especially if you are trying to avoid the pain. It can cause imbalance, mobility problems, and strain in various body parts. Here how some body parts are affected:
- Ankles: Improper foot alignment will cause stress in ankles.
- Knees: Adjusting your gait can lead to knee pain, since it’s one of the most important part for balancing.
- Hips: change in gait may lead to misalignment in the hips.
How important is proper foot hygiene in the treatment of plantar fasciitis?
Proper foot hygiene plays a supportive but important role in the treatment of plantar fasciitis for several reasons:
1. Prevents Infection: Keeping feet clean helps prevent infections, especially if there are any cuts or blisters that could complicate treatment.
2. Reduces Inflammation: Regularly washing and inspecting your feet can help reduce inflammation and swelling, contributing to overall foot health.
3. Promotes Healing: Clean, dry feet are less likely to develop fungal infections or other conditions that can interfere with healing.
4. Improves Comfort: Proper foot hygiene, including regular moisturizing, can prevent dryness and cracking, which can exacerbate pain and discomfort.
5. Enhances Treatment Efficacy: Clean feet ensure that any topical treatments, like anti-inflammatory creams or ointments, can be more effectively absorbed.