Survey Shows the Heel Pain - Overweight Vicious Cycle
A new survey of 381 adult Americans was conducted by Heeling Solutions LLC. They found that plantar fasciitis heel pain affects almost a third of people who are overweight. And 90% of people with heel pain who exercise at least 1-2 times a week report that heel pain keeps them from exercising more."This pattern of obesity and heel pain is a viscous cycle," says David Nader, an exercise physiologist and member of the Heeling Solutions team. "You often find people who are overweight suffering from heel pain due to the added stress on their feet. This pain makes it very difficult to exercise, which in turn can make it almost impossible to lose weight."
One in ten people will suffer from plantar fasciitis in his or her life. Being overweight, or having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, puts extra stress on this tissue and can be disabling. The Heeling Solutions survey revealed that those who are overweight have a 30% greater chance of reporting heel pain than those who are not overweight.
Treating Plantar Fasciitis Heel Pain
The May 2004 New England Journal of Medicine reported that plantar fasciitis symptoms will resolve in more than 80 percent of people within 12 months. It recommends that doctors treat plantar fasciitis patients with "patient-directed, low-risk, minimal-cost interventions" such as stretching, wearing proper footwear and using arch supports. Dr. Jeffrey Peterson, M.A., M.D., a physician with the Northern California Institute of Sports Medicine, says, "Plantar fasciitis is a disease where patient education and lifestyle changes are critical and can make a big difference for a lot of people. When heel pain is resolved, it helps a person to lose weight by enabling a more active, healthy lifestyle."Heeling Solutions offers a R.E.S.C.U.E. video/DVD on recovering from heel pain with conservative, patient-directed methods rather than invasive medical procedures.
