“A few months ago, I was having considerable pain in the heel of my right foot. I went to an orthopedic and was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. I was given some exercises to do in hopes that the pain would go away. The pain remained.”
-Plantar Fasciitis Patient
Plantar fasciitis, also known as heel pain, is a progressive degenerative condition commonly affecting individuals between ages forty (40) and sixty (60). It is a common painful condition, and according to a study conducted by Nanchang University, about 1 out of 10 of the population will experience heel pain at some point in their lives. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons also mentions that, in the US, estimated two million patients are undergoing treatment for Plantar Fasciitis yearly.
What is Plantar Fasciitis: An Overview
Plantar fasciitis is a term which means inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a ligament — a strong band of tissue that connects the heel and middle foot bones. Its principal purpose is to support the arch of the foot and act as a shock absorber.
It is characterized by heel pain felt when standing, walking, running, and moving the feet. The pain usually occurs in the morning when the soles of the feet touch the floor as pressure towards the ligaments is present. In some cases, the pain disappears with more walking but may also happen again after periods of rest.
How is Plantar Fasciitis Treated?
There are many treatments and therapeutic options available to manage Plantar Fascia. However, the effectivity of the mode of treatment depends on the individual’s condition. For instance, rest and physical therapy may work for a patient but may not work for another. In some cases, multiple treatment modalities are necessary. Like what one of Plantar Fascia patients said, “My doctor anticipated that I would need 4 to 6 treatments in order for my foot feel better.”
Initial management includes adequate rest and cold compress or icing of the affected area. Physical therapy and stretching may also lessen the pain. A physician may prescribe pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Other treatment options may include the following:
- Cold Wraps – Cold wraps involves applying effective icing of the lateral side and soles of the feet to reduce the pain caused by inflammation of the heel. Instead of using cold packs, many plantar fasciitis patients use medical wraps such as SealSkin to minimize the pain effectively. All you need are crushed iced, small towel, and SealSkin wrap.
Just put the crushed ice or cubes inside the towel. Then apply the towel with ice on the affected area. To keep the towel in place, wrap the SealSkin around the feet covered by the towel and keep it there for 15 minutes.
- Arch Supports – Arch supports and braces assist in correcting biomechanical issues of the foot. It also lessens the pressure and stress on the plantar fascia when walking, running, or moving the feet.
- Orthotics – Orthotics are custom fit supports that work like arch supports.
- Night Splints – Doctors recommend night splints if tightness of the calf muscles or Achilles tendon are the causes of heel pain.
- Cold Laser Therapy – Also known as low laser therapy, this treatment method utilizes a painless therapeutic laser to decrease the inflammation and promote healthy tissue recovery, consequently reducing pain. The procedure is performed at the clinic where your care provider applies cold laser therapy. This is another instance where SealSkin Medical Wrap could be used to help secure the cold laser therapy device to the foot.
“After receiving an email from my primary care physician, I decided to go to their office for cold laser treatments to help improve or eliminate my foot issue. The cold laser device is handheld and about a foot in length. My doctor used a standard medical beige elastic wrap to strap the laser device to my foot. The wrap had to be tied around my foot so that the device would remain in place. In most cases, the wrap is used one time and disposed of.”
-Plantar Fasciitis Patient
- Cortisone Injections – Cortisones are steroids that are stronger than prescribed NSAID’s. This medication is only suggested if the pain is too severe and if the pain did not respond to other treatment methods including pain medications and NSAIDs.
- Shockwave Therapy – This option involves the use of sound waves that literally “shocks” the plantar fascia to stimulate blood flow and help the tissues of the feet to heal. It also blocks pain signals which will aid in improving feet mobility.
The treatment methods listed above are just some of the most popular ways to deal with Plantar Fasciitis. However, to know the best appropriate treatment plan, we recommend a doctor’s assessment and advice.
SealSkin Medical Wrap and Plantar Fasciitis
Sealskin is a medical wrap that is waterproof, stretchable, and transparent in color. It can be used as a wrap to keep cold towel compress in place as well as assist the physician in maintaining cold laser therapy devices in position. It protects, secures and reduces the discomfort of the healing process.
“On my third visit, I showed my doctor the SealSkin Medical Wrap device and asked if he could use it to wrap around the cold laser device on my foot. When first seeing the device, my doctor immediately said “I love it. This will be so much easier to use”. He wrapped the laser device around my foot and it worked great. He just tore the plastic wrap when the device was secure and did not have to tie it off. The wrap worked great and was incredibly easy to use.”
With SealSkin, you won’t have to worry about keeping everything (like cold compresses and arch supports) where they need to be while giving you more mobility. It is not excessively sticky like other traditional wrapping bandages so you won’t have to worry about the discomforts of bandage pins and locks.
What Do People Say about SealSkin?
Here are some of the testimonials from SeasSkin users around the world:
“My doctor used the SealSkin Medical Wrap to secure the laser device to my foot on the last four treatments. The wrap was much easier to use than the standard medical beige elastic wrap. Even better, my foot was much better after the six laser treatments.”
“My doctor also immediately thought of sport medicine applications that the SealSkin Medical Wrap could be used for.”
“The SealSkin Medical Wrap is a product that will have countless uses in the medical profession. The product is secure, waterproof and non-adhesive.”
If you are ready to heel the pain away comfortably and want to know more about the benefits of SealSkin medical wraps, visit SealSkin site or purchase on Amazon today.