Tag Archive for: Heel pain

Joint Pain? Why It's Important to Identify Bursitis Symptoms 

Just about everyone experiences a bout of joint pain. While some mild aches and pains aren’t a cause for concern, joint pain caused by bursitis warrants inquiry with a physician or physiotherapist to rule out infection and prevent further injury. It’s easy to inadvertently make bursitis worse by treating it like you would a strained joint. For this reason, it’s important to familiarize yourself with these most common bursitis symptoms and what to do if you experience them. 

What Bursitis Is

By adulthood, our bodies house 360 joints and 150 bursae. Bursitis is a painful condition that occurs when the bursa (singular form of bursae) of one or more joints becomes either infected or inflamed. 

Bursae are small, synovial fluid-filled sacs that provide cushioning and lubrication between the bones in joints. Bursae also serve as a protective layer that helps facilitate ease of movement when surrounding muscles and tendons move around a joint. When the bursa of a joint becomes inflamed, the joint can feel stiff and painful to move.

Bursitis Causes and Contributing Factors

While bursitis can be a complication of weight, age, injury and other, pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes and arthritis, the most common causes of non-infected bursitis include:

  • Incorrect movement patterns and repetitive motions that place tension on the joint
  • Improper footwear and gait patterns
  • Postural issues
  • Sports, occupations, and activities that place repetitive pressure or strain on a joint (e.g., resting weight on elbows, kneeling on hard surfaces, cycling, tennis, etc.)
  • Lack of stretching and warm-up before athletic activities
  • Tight hamstrings 
  • Injury resulting in joint trauma

Common Bursitis Symptoms

Bursitis tends to affect the body’s major bursae, found in large joints, including the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees but can also affect other parts of the body, including the heel (posterior to the Achilles tendon) and shins. There are different types of bursitis, based on which joint is affected. Following is a list of the most common bursitis signs and symptoms to watch out for:

  • Warmth and redness of the affected joint (red elbow)
  • Localized swelling of affected joint
  • Tingling, burning, or snapping pain, especially after activity or while attempting to move the affected joint
  • Joint stiffness that can worsen following activity
  • Unusual grinding or popping sensations when moving the joint

Signs and Symptoms of Infected Bursitis Which Warrant Immediate Medical Attention:

While non-infected bursitis is more common, infected bursitis can be serious and warrants prompt medical attention. Immediately contact your physician or a nearby emergency room if any of the above bursitis symptoms are accompanied by worsening pain, fever, chills, and malaise. Don’t hesitate–you should always take fever and pain seriously. 

How to Prevent Bursitis

There are things you can start doing to protect your joins and prevent bursitis, such as:

  • Adequate stretching and warm-up of muscles before activities
  • Investing in proper footwear and orthotics if needed to correct gait issues
  • Protecting joints from shock and hard surface strain by using knee and elbow pads or padded surfaces as needed
  • Correcting posture and incorrect movement patterns
  • When something hurts, don’t push it–rest and assess before resuming an activity
  • Be mindful of not placing undue strain on your body
  • Ensuring adequate rest, nutrition, and recovery between activities
  • Managing weight while easing into new activities slowly
  • Undergoing physiotherapy treatments for injury recovery and prevention

What Not to Do if You Suspect Bursitis

It’s easy to accidently make bursitis worse. A few of the ways bursitis is made worse is by assuming that all it needs for recovery is a little rest, stretching, movement, and wrapping. But, if you’re experiencing joint pain caused by bursitis, placing the joint under further tension via incorrect stretches, knee and elbow sleeves, or compression bandages can aggravate bursitis symptoms and prolong recovery, which brings us to our next point.

Why Promptly Treating Bursitis Is So Important

While most forms of non-infected bursitis are temporary and benefit from rest, icing, anti-inflammatories, and physiotherapy, bursitis caused by infection can be very serious and requires immediate medical attention. This is why it’s important to seek proper diagnosis and treatment of bursitis if suspected. Even when it comes to non-infected bursitis, appropriate treatment will help alleviate symptoms and prevent further aggravating the condition. The good news is that non-infected bursitis is typically easy to resolve without long-term complications. 

Bursitis Treatment Options in Victoria BC

Our multidisciplinary team of practitioners at Diversified Health Clinic in downtown Victoria offer a variety of options for treating and preventing bursitis, including:

The first step is to make an appointment with one of our physiotherapists who will properly assess your bursitis and customize a treatment plan that will help alleviate symptoms while also treating the source of your bursitis and helping you prevent further injury. 

Take the Next Step

Take the first step on your road to recovery by booking an appointment with one of our physiotherapists today at (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online. We offer direct billing and weekday and weekend appointments. Please view our hours of operation and location details here.

What Plantar Fasciitis Is and How to Treat It

Ouch! Have you been experiencing a shooting or stabbing pain in one or both heels upon stepping out of bed or after long periods of sitting? You may be suffering from plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain and, if left untreated, often becomes much worse. 

What Plantar Fasciitis Is

What Plantar Fasciitis Is

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia that encases the ligament which spans the sole of your foot, connecting the heel of your foot to the base of your toes. It is caused by small tears that occur in the plantar fascia as a result of repeated foot strain. It’s the most common cause of heel pain and tends to be progressive unless treated. 

Plantar fasciitis sufferers experience what is typically described as being an acute, stabbing pain in their heels. The pain tends to be worse in the mornings or after long periods of sitting or resting. 

What Causes it

Plantar fasciitis is caused by repetitive strain to the soles of the feet. It is a common ailment suffered by individuals with occupational or athletic activities that place a lot of tension and stress on their feet. It can also result from improper foot dynamics from overly high or flat arches, unsuitable footwear, or an imbalanced gait, and is a common occurrence for:

  • People whose occupation requires them to spend long periods on their feet (ie: nurses, factory workers, hair stylists and clerks). 
  • Runners, dancers and individuals who partake in activities that place excess strain on their feet. 
  • Individuals between the ages of 40 – 60 (most commonly). 
  • Anyone carrying excess weight. 
  • People with gait issues or suboptimal foot dynamics. 

A Word of Warning About Footwear

 

The Importance of Proper Footwear

Walking barefoot and sporting flip-flops may be part of island living during the summer months, but should be avoided by those who are prone to foot strain. It’s also pertinent that runners and other athletes replace worn-out athletic shoes and ensure their footwear offers adequate arch support, cushioning and shock absorption that’s based on proper foot ergonomics and according to their sport. 

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

It’s best to treat plantar fasciitis at the early onset of symptoms. People who ignore symptoms often unknowingly adjust their walking patterns in efforts to partially relieve pain, resulting in undue strain and injury to other areas of the body including the knees, hip and back. This is why prompt treatment is prudent. 

Plantar Fasciitis treatment often combines physiotherapy, massage therapy, gait analysis and custom orthotics to relieve pain and tension and prevent further foot strain. Treatment may include recommendations for icing, rest and the short-term use of over the counter pain-killers as needed.

The good news is that with proper treatment and new preventative measures, plantar fasciitis symptoms can be relieved and sufferers can often comfortably return to the activities they enjoy. 

If You Suspect You Have Plantar Fasciitis or Are Concerned About Foot Strain:

Contact Diversified Health Clinic today to book an appointment, or for more information on the treatment options we provide, including our innovative GaitScan Analysis. Our integrated approach and amenities empower our practitioners to provide you with treatment options that are custom-tailored to your specific needs. We also offer direct billing and weekend appointments.

Plantar FasciitisPlantar fasciitis is a painful condition caused by overuse of the arch tendon (plantar fascia) of the foot; and if you’ve ever suffered from Plantar Fasciitis, you know that this can be one of the most irritating and hard to treat injuries there is.

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is an overly tight calf muscle which leads to persistent pronation of the foot, which produces over-stretching of the arch tendon, and can lead to inflammation and thickening of the tendon.

The Plantar Fascia is a band of tissue that runs from your heel down through most of the length of your foot. It could be considered to be a “shock absorber” for your arch. This tissue is also known as the arch tendon. When this tissue becomes inflamed, the result is Plantar Fasciitis, a condition that can result in moderate to severe pain in your heel and foot.

Plantar Fasciitis, over time, can also cause a heel spur. If untreated, the condition can become degenerative, causing further pain, symptoms and long-term treatment challenges.

Not surprisingly,  runners, golfers and tennis players who spend long hours on their feet are some of the most common victims of Plantar Fasciitis.  Additionally, those over 40 are more susceptible, as is anyone who is predisposed to the condition. People with tight calves are thought to be more likely to develop the condition, as is anyone who spends time on their feet without proper footwear.

Temporary relief from Plantar Fasciitis can often be found through stretching localized massage, or anti-inflammatory medications. This relief is typically short-lived, however, as the condition will usually persist until it is properly treated and the underlying cause is identified and addressed.

Permanent relief from Plantar Fasciitis will usually come from a combination of the following approaches:

– Improved footwear for the activity you’re engaging in

– Orthotics

– Weight loss

–  Specific Stretching for the foot and calf muscles

– Physiotherapy

– Massage

– Laser Therapy to treat the inflamed area

– Kineso-tape to support the arch tendon

– Shockwave Therapy to treat the inflamed area

You should seek treatment if there is pain when pressing on the inside of the heel or if the pain is worse first thing in the morning.  If left unattended the condition can become more severe, with the pain worsening throughout the day.