Having calf pain can be difficult to live with, especially if you are an active person. Searching for answers and reasons like can Plantar fasciitis cause calf pain is stress-inducing research. Unfortunately, some small issues like calf pain can be indirectly linked to other issues like plantar fasciitis. Find out if orthopedic therapy matches the symptoms.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is damage or tearing of the foot that is related to the plantar fascia, the tissue that connects the toes to the heel bone (calcaneus). The plantar fascia provides support to the heel of the foot, surrounds the regional nerves and blood vessels, and enables movement. Plantar fasciitis, heels spurs, or Runner’s Heel, are the most common cause of heel pain, which affects 50 percent of Americans.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fascia makes day-to-day activities unbearable, particularly for those who need to stand or walk for hours on end every day. Plantar fasciitis can also manifest as inflammation in the heel and is especially common in athletes, pregnant women, and obese people in general. Symptoms are:
- Stabbing heel pain
- Inflammation
- Tenderness
- Painful dorsiflexion of the toes (raising the toes upwards)
Be mindful that plantar fasciitis is common, but other conditions such as a broken heel, stress fracture, and nerve entrapment are possible causes. You need to be examined to confirm the diagnosis.
Plantar Fasciitis Causes
Moreover, plantar Fasciitis targets the soles of the feet. If one asks if plantar fasciitis causes calf pain, the answer is not directly. Though it can be related due to the gait accommodation (limping) caused by the heel pain. The pain is more likely to travel to the ankle. The most typical causes include:
- Long periods of standing
- Obesity
- Poor foot positioning
- Sports that involve repetitive motions like running
- High heels (Prolonged use over a period)
Treatment Options
If experiencing acute pain, simple stretches at home can reduce pain in the heel and increase your ability to remain on your feet if out and about. Per the knowledge of Deborah Lynn Irmas, a personal trainer certified by ACE (the American Council on Exercise), the steps are simple :
Sit up straight in a chair. Place a cold water bottle, canned drink, or foam roller underneath the foot and roll back and forth. Maintain your straight posture as you do this. Allow at least a minute to pass before switching to your other foot. A series of specific foot exercises follow that will help stretch the plantar fascia and prevent morning foot pain. Calf pain, much like the soft tissue injuries here, can heal similarly.
She goes on to advise athletes on how to work around these issues: divide training with stretches, as well as resting and icing your feet more. Switching out comfortable shoes that provide heel support from time to time will maximize the outcome of your efforts.
Alternative Treatment Options
Anti-inflammation pills are also suggested but only target a single symptom. And according to the US National Library of Medicine, “Histopathologic studies have shown that patients with diagnosed plantar fasciitis have more disorganization of fibrous tissue similar to degenerative tendinosis rather than inflammation.”
Degenerative tendinosis is the disappearance of collagen in the tendon as a result of not allowing the foot to heal. Chronic pain from repetitive motions exacerbates the problem. It is reasonable to assume that if these repetitive motions are connected to something important (I.e., your career, hobby) it will likely continue if you have an understandable need to do so. Under these unfortunate circumstances, it is likely to become a chronic condition. Severe plantar fasciitis should be cared for immeadietly.
Chronic Plantar Fasciitis Calf Pain Treatment
Flagstone Medical Health Group focuses on how to reverse chronic issues forever. They administer AWT, acoustic wave therapy, to patients suffering from chronic issues that are not able to break that painful cycle. The plantar fascia itself is healed naturally by blood flow, but AWT increases blood flow and promotes neovascularization, which speeds up the process of healing. It is non-invasive, unlike surgery, unlike needles.
A study of 13 trials that took place in 2018 has shown that over a thousand patients who received ESWT (extracorporeal shock wave therapy) for chronic plantar fasciitis felt a change. Specifically, patients “responded better, had fewer complications, and showed clear differences in efficacy between ESWT and other therapy in chronic plantar fasciitis.”
The difference between acoustic and shockwave therapy is that while AWT deals with superficial issues, shockwave therapy focuses on deeper issues. Wave therapy focuses on the source and can potentially deliver more for you than simple stretches or anti-inflammation pills. The results are permanent and do not come with the risks of more drastic measures, like surgery. Contact Flagstone Medical today to receive your consultation & see if wave therapy is right to take care of your plantar fasciitis calf pain!
