HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A plantar fascial rupture, is a painful tear in the
plantar fascia The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue (aponeurosis) which supports the arch on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. It runs from the tuberosity of the calcaneus (heel bone) forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones (the bone b ...
. The plantar fascia is a connective tissue that spans across the bottom of the foot. The condition
plantar fasciitis Plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain (PHP) is a disorder of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot. It results in pain in the heel and bottom of the foot that is usually most severe with the fi ...
may increase the likelihood of rupture. A plantar fascial rupture may be mistaken for plantar fasciitis or even a
calcaneal fracture A calcaneal fracture is a break of the calcaneus (heel bone). Symptoms may include pain, bruising, trouble walking, and deformity of the heel. It may be associated with breaks of the hip or back. It usually occurs when a person lands on their f ...
. To allow for proper diagnosis, an MRI is often needed.


Causes

The risk for the development of plantar fascia tears can be increased by certain factors which could include: #
Overweight Being overweight or fat is having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is especially common where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. , excess weight reached epidemic proportions globally, with m ...
  # Non- Supportive footwear # Flat arched feet # High arched feet # A sudden increase in activity/Overuse #
Hormone A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required ...
problems # Lack of flexibility of the calf,
Achilles tendon The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus ...
and the plantar fascia. # Connective tissue disorders  such as
Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and hands are inv ...
.


Types


Complete

Complete tears of the plantar fascia are often due to sudden trauma or injury. Often, the rupture will be accompanied by a popping sound and painful snapping sensation. The bottom of the foot often bruises and swells. Former NFL athlete
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with ...
suffered a complete rupture in 2015. The surgical procedure known as a plantar fascia release actually involves the purposeful infliction of a complete tear of the plantar fascia. This is intended to relieve plantar fasciitis symptoms when the tissue recovers by building more tissue, elongating the previously tight plantar fascia.


Partial

Partial tears are seemingly even less common than complete tears. They are more likely to arise from overuse from activities like daily running. The bottom of the foot may be swollen or bruised.


Treatment

Full recovery from both complete and partial tears typically takes 12 weeks or more. However, activities may gradually resume after 6-8 weeks when the plantar fascia will be mostly recovered. Surgery is typically a last resort. At home, it might be advisable to follow the
RICE Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
method to reduce inflammation and ease pain.


Immobilization

For the first 2-4 weeks after diagnosis, patients are often instructed to use a walking boot to immobilize and protect the foot.


Physical therapy

During the immobilization period, it is important to keep the foot flexible by lightly stretching the foot and calf regularly. As the plantar fascia recovers, physical therapy exercises help stabilize the ankle and correct gait patterns that may have contributed to the tear. Stretching and strengthening exercises decrease the chance of reinjury.


Other treatments

Platelet-Rich Plasma Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), also known as autologous conditioned plasma, is a concentrate of platelet-rich plasma protein derived from whole blood, centrifuged to remove red blood cells. Though promoted to treat an array of medical problems, evid ...
injections may be used to help accelerate recovery and decrease the chance of reinjury.
Cortisone Cortisone is a pregnene (21-carbon) steroid hormone. It is a naturally-occurring corticosteroid metabolite that is also used as a pharmaceutical prodrug; it is not synthesized in the adrenal glands. Cortisol is converted by the action of the enz ...
injections may ease pain.


References

{{reflist Disorders of fascia Foot diseases