Plantar Fasciitis Hurts the Overweight More
In "Impact of Demographic and Impairment-Related Variables on Disability Associated With Plantar Fasciitis," researchers found obesity to be the only true variable associated with disability of perceived heel pain (plantar fasciitis). "The more obese a person is, the higher their level of disability as a result of plantar fasciitis," said Dr. Riddle, the corresponding author of the study.The study examined the variables that may predict the severity of a patient's disability from heel pain. Aside from obesity, the study looked at age, gender, pain intensity and ankle mobility as possible factors. "The important take home message of this study is that of all the examined variables, obesity was the only one that accurately measured the extent of patient disability," said Dr. Riddle.
Treatment Varies for a Million Plantar Fasciitis Patients a Year
In "Volume of Ambulatory Care Visits and Patterns of Care for Patients Diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis: A National Study of Medical Doctors," researchers found that treatments for this common disorder of the foot vary widely. "Approximately one million patient visits per year to physicians are for plantar fasciitis," said Daniel L. Riddle, Ph.D., P.T. of Richmond, Virginia, the corresponding author of the study. He noted that two thirds of patient visits for heel pain were to a primary care physician, with the remaining one third to orthopaedic surgeons. Approximately one percent of all visits to orthopaedic surgeons in the United States are for the treatment of heel pain.The study further found that patients with identical symptoms received a wide variety of interventions to treat their heel pain. "The most common treatment option for heel pain was pain relieving medication," said Dr. Riddle. Other common treatment methods include exercise regimens, education, and physical therapy.
Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Pain
What is Plantar Fasciitis and How Can You Treat Yourself?Heel Pain Relief and Self-Treatment
