3 Signs You Might Have a Plantar Fascia Rupture
Heel pain often stems from plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of the thick band of tissue supporting your foot’s arch), but that’s not always the culprit. Sometimes, the nagging ache can actually be a signal of something more serious: a plantar fascia rupture.
In this post, Batavia Foot Care Center will help you learn how you can spot plantar fascia ruptures and seek treatment before they get out of hand.
Understanding Plantar Fascia Ruptures
A plantar fascia rupture is a tear in the plantar fascia ligament. This can happen suddenly, often with a popping sensation in the heel, or it can develop gradually due to chronic strain and inflammation.
Key indicators include:
- Sudden, Sharp Heel Pain:
- If you experience a sharp, stabbing pain in your heel, especially after a forceful movement like jumping or running, it could be a sign of a rupture. You might even hear or feel a “popping” sensation at the time of the injury.
- Swelling and Bruising:
- Swelling and bruising around the heel and arch are typical consequences of a plantar fascia rupture. The area might also be tender when touched.
- Difficulty Walking:
- A rupture can make it difficult to put weight on your foot and walk normally. You may experience pain when trying to push off the ground or stand on your toes.
Causes and Risk Factors
Several factors can contribute to a plantar fascia rupture, but the chief culprit might be chronic plantar fasciitis. If you’ve had ongoing plantar fasciitis, the repeated stress and inflammation can weaken the plantar fascia, making it more prone to tearing.
You’ll also want to watch out for:
- Sudden Forceful Movements: High-impact activities like running, jumping, or sports can put excessive strain on the plantar fascia, leading to a rupture.
- Age Factors: The plantar fascia naturally loses elasticity with age, making older individuals more susceptible to ruptures.
- Foot Mechanics: Flat feet or high arches can alter the way your foot absorbs shock, increasing stress on the plantar fascia.
- Steroid Injections: While cortisone injections can provide temporary pain relief for plantar fasciitis, they can also weaken the plantar fascia over time, increasing the risk of rupture.
This last item is worth emphasizing! At Batavia Foot Care Center, we have found shockwave therapy to be quite effective for treating chronic plantar fasciitis when other options aren’t working. In addition to success rates as high as 88%, shockwave therapy won’t increase the likelihood of rupture or recurrence, unlike cortisone injections.
Treatment Options
Treatment depends on the severity of the tear. For minor ruptures, conservative options like Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (the RICE protocol), immobilization, stretching, or custom orthotics may be sufficient. In cases of severe ruptures or when conservative treatment fails, surgery may be necessary to repair the torn plantar fascia.
Do you still have questions about any of the info above? We’d be happy to answer them! Get in touch and learn more about effective pain relief today.
You can always count on Batavia Foot Care Center to care for your feet using a full range of therapies and treatment options. Dr. Dawn K. Dryden and Dr. Courtney M. Foote serve patients of all ages in Batavia, New York. Contact our office to schedule an appointment!
