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Plantar Fasciitis – The Most Common Sports Injury

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Everyone enjoys watching sports either live or on TV and many of us wish we could play sports because let’s face it; they make a lot of money.  However with all the fame and money comes great risk, and that risk is in the form of injury.  No matter what type of sport you play there is always the risk of injury. According to hospitals and sport injury doctors, the most common sports injury amongst all sports is Plantar Fasciitis.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that affects the foot of the athlete. The band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot, from the arch to the heel becomes inflamed. Many times athletes who develop plantar fasciitis have also been noted to have heel spurs as well. A heel spur is a hook or section of bone that has formed in the heel bone itself.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

As mentioned above this is the most common injury seen in the sports world, and the reason for this is, no matter the sport, all athletes are on their feet.  Plantar Fasciitis occurs when the connective tissue that runs from the ball of your foot to the hill becomes inflamed. This connective tissue is very strong and very tight; it is the tissue that is responsible for the arch of our feet.

Since this tissue is responsible for the arch in your foot, it is also one of the major impact zones when a person walks or runs, and takes even more stress when the athlete jumps. Since athletes are constantly on their feet during games and during practice, it makes perfect sense why this injury is as common as it is.

Treatment Of Plantar Fasciitis

Even though this injury is very common and most athletes will get this injury several times in their career, the good news is it is not very serious. The treatment options associated with plantar fasciitis wide and are very easy and non-invasive. Many times once you are diagnosed with plantar fasciitis from your doctor that is the only time you have to see him, as all the treatment options can be done at home.

Below are your normal treatment options for Plantar Fasciitis:

Apply Ice Packs – The coldness of the ice will help reduce the swelling and decrease the heel pain associated with the injury.

Anti-Inflammation Medication – Over-The-Counter (OTC) medication such as ibuprofen can be used to help reduce the swelling and the pain associated with the injury.

Exercises And Stretches–The whole purpose of stretches is to loosen up the muscle groups in which are targeted, by performing proper stretches to the foot; you can help ease the tightness in the connective tissue, which eases the pain.

In the world of sports, there are two things that you can be sure you are going to get in your career, money, and injuries. These are the major advice from orthopedic hand surgeons. You are most likely not going to complain about the money you make, however, that will not be the case with the injuries that come along with it. One thing to remember is Plantar Fasciitis is the most common injury you will get, and you can rest easy knowing it is not serious and heals in a matter of days/weeks.