Have you been getting up to the mountain this summer? Colorado has no shortage of beautiful hikes. Unfortunately, with many summer activities there frequently is an unwelcome tag-a-long—aching pain that follows you into the fall. One of those common pains is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the fascial bands connecting the heel and toes on the sole of your foot. Your fascia is not used to quick changes in length as you hastily increase your activity level in the summer. This can create minor tears that usher in inflammatory chemicals to the bottom of your foot. Over time, the inflammatory cycle in your fascial tissue may actually cease and the tissue can become ischemic, transitioning your plantar fasciitis into plantar fasciosis. 
Plantar fasciitis causes significant pain at the beginning of your day, often your first step of the morning, and tends to subside throughout the day as your foot warms up. This is particularly likely if you completed a large hike the day before. The location of the pain can be along the bottom of your foot, typically closer to the heel. If you have an unusually significant level of inflammation, the area along the plantar fascia may look red or feel warm. Walking or standing for long periods of time is typically uncomfortable.
There is rarely an efficient quick fix for plantar fasciitis. However, preventative care is crucial and plantar fasciitis can be effectively avoided by a strong warm up and cool down before activity. Exercises to strengthen the intrinsic foot muscles (such as picking up marbles with your toes) are helpful as these muscles can aid the plantar fascia in shock absorption and stability of the foot. If you are past the preventative stage, a medical professional can help heal the tissue through manual therapy, scar tissue breakdown, and specific stretches and strengthening exercises for the bottom of your foot. 

Don’t let plantar fasciitis keep you off of the mountain!  Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Lyndsay Trefzger ATC, CES
Denver Physical Therapy at the DAC
