Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia is a thick tendon at the bottom of the foot that connects the heel and toes, forming the arch in your foot. It acts like a bowstring that absorbs shock and supports the foot's arch. Repetitive wear and tear of the tendon may cause it to get irritated and inflamed, and this inflammation is termed Plantar Fasciitis. The condition is characterized by a stabbing pain in the heel that usually accompanies the first steps of the day, and it normally affects only one foot. 

Children are little balls of energy who are almost always on foot, playing all sorts of games including running, sprinting, soldiers' battles, and many others – Such activities involve the overuse of the plantar fascia, causing it to get injured and leading to heel ache. Kids mostly present with the complaint of intense shooting pain in the heel as soon as they set foot on the ground after being in a resting position for a considerable amount of time. 

Management and Treatment

Plantar Fasciitis is a temporary condition and about 80% of cases get solved simply by staying off-foot. Children with plantar fasciitis can opt for various treatment methods and experience improvement in their condition in a matter of a couple of weeks.

Conservative or noninvasive methods include staying off foot, putting ice on the foot, stretching the arch, using orthotic devices, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, use of medical tape, and improving the overall strength of calves and feet. 

Since the goal is to heal the injured tendon, time can be proven to be a reliable treatment option. Asking your child to refrain from outdoor games for a few days and encouraging them to try out new indoor games that don't require them to be on foot is a good idea. In addition, icing the affected foot when your child is in pain helps to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. 

The role of physical therapy for kids with plantar fasciitis is to strengthen their feet and provide relief to the plantar fascia. Certain exercises enhance the distribution of pressure across your child's foot and improve the strength of legs and feet while also providing more stability to the ankle and foot. Your pediatric podiatrist or therapist may advise you to massage your child's heel once or twice a day and encourage stretching the foot's arch to promote even pressure distribution across the foot. It is noteworthy that tight calf muscles put stress on the plantar fascia and may predispose your child to plantar fasciitis; thus, performing stretching exercises improves the flexibility of the tendon and muscles. 

Oral anti-inflammatory medications are also considered vital tools in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Some children experience pain more intense than others, and so, as parents, we cannot simply stand and watch our kids in pain; therefore, pain relievers (e.g. aspirin or ibuprofen) can be used sometimes to relieve pain. In some cases, steroid injections are given, while in other cases, steroids are applied as a solution to the affected region. In severe and extreme cases, you may have to resort to shockwave therapy or even surgery.

Numerous therapists and pediatric podiatrists recommend the use of Arch Supports (orthotics for plantar fasciitis), as they help distribute pressure more evenly across the foot and improve stability.

Professionals also recommend wearing night splints as a remedy for this condition. The splints treat the condition by stretching the calf muscle and tendons while your child sleeps. These devices keep the affected foot flexed at a 90-degree angle and acts to lessen the pain of the first step in the morning. Among orthotics, custom shoe inserts are wonderful therapeutic tools that increase the strength of the plantar fascia by supporting the arch and the heel.

Finally, taping the heel and arch using medical tape is quite the reliable treatment option. It keeps the affected foot in the correct position for as long as the tape stays on, and relaxes the plantar fascia, resulting in quicker healing and recovery. Most kids prefer this method of treatment because of its fast results.