While many people prefer to wear flip-flops or sandals in the summer, wearing shoes with inadequate support can easily harm the feet and trigger plantar fasciitis, a Taipei physiatrist said.
Tseng Ching-shiang (曾清祥), a physiatrist and director of a rehabilitation clinic in Taipei, cited a recent case of a 30-year-old woman, surnamed Lin (林), who often wore flat sandals. One day, she felt a sharp pain under her heel as she stepped out of bed in the morning and decided to see a doctor, because she had difficulty walking.
Lin was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, said Tseng, who treated the patient.
Tseng said the plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue that supports the arch on the bottom of the foot and supports it by acting as a tie-rod, becoming tense when the foot bears weight.
When the tissue is repeatedly strained and becomes inflamed or swollen, plantar fasciitis occurs, he added.
Many patients like Lin seek treatment for plantar fasciitis caused by inappropriate footwear, he said, adding that patients increase by about 20 percent during the summer.
Tseng said common causes of plantar fasciitis include standing, walking, running, or performing repeated movements for an extended period of time; wearing shoes that are flat, with thin soles or inadequate support; or congenital foot abnormalities that cause the plantar fascia to be more easily inflamed than normal people.
He said if people feel a shooting pain in their heel when they get up in the morning, they should avoid exercise and standing for long periods, and seek medical treatment.
Usually the condition can be improved by medication, thermotherapy, electrotherapy or other physical therapy, but the relapse rate can be between 40 and 50 percent, Tseng said, adding that people can also consider extracorporeal shock wave therapy.
Patients should stop all types of exercise during therapy and allow the foot to rest for six to eight weeks until the condition improves, he added.
Tseng said that people should choose shoes that support the arch of the foot, absorb shocks, have adjustable elasticity and are not too soft or too hard.
People should rest their feet during and after standing or walking for a long time, and wear customized shoes or insoles approved by physical therapists if they have congenital foot abnormalities, Tseng said.
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