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Plantar fasciitis is a condition in which the plantar fascia is inflamed. The plantar fascia is a thick ligament located across the bottom of your foot. It connects your toe with your heel bone. This condition is one of the most common orthopedic complaints and it causes pain at the bottom of your heel.
There are several types of treatment available to treat plantar fasciitis, including therapy, surgery, and other procedures. Your doctor will be able to determine the best type of treatment for you.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy is a key treatment for plantar fasciitis. During physical therapy, you will learn exercises to stretch your plantar fascia and strengthen your lower leg muscles, which will help stabilize your walking and lessen the workload on your plantar fascia. Your physical therapist may also use contrast baths, massage, or ultrasonography to help with your long-term healing.
Steroid injections
Your doctor may recommend steroid injections to relieve your pain temporarily, usually for about a month. It will also keep your inflammation down. The steroid medication is normally injected into the tender area or the most painful area of your plantar fascia. However, multiple shots are not recommended as they can weaken your plantar fascia, which can cause it to rupture.
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy
If physical therapy and other methods are not working, your doctor may suggest you undergo extracorporeal shock wave therapy. During this procedure, your doctor directs sound waves to the area of the heel where you experience pain to stimulate healing within the ligament. The sound waves literally “shock” your plantar fascia, which may reduce the pain you experience.
Surgery
Surgery is only performed where other methods have not worked, your pain is severe, or your pain lasts more than 6 to 12 months. There are two types of surgery that can be performed to treat plantar fasciitis:
Plantar fascia release involves partially detaching your plantar fascia from the heel bone to release tension and relieve inflammation.
Gastrocnemius recession is done to lengthen your calf muscle to release stress on the plantar fascia and increase your ankle motion. This procedure is typically recommended if you find it hard to flex your feet even though you consistently stretch.
Your length of stay depends on the type of treatment you underwent. For non-surgical treatments, you should be able to leave Belgium within 3 to 5 days. For surgical treatments, you may need to stay in the country for 7 days. For physical therapy, your length of stay depends on the frequency and how many appointments are needed. Your doctor/physical therapist/medical travel team will be able to advise you on this.
The recovery time will vary from person to person, depending on the severity of your condition and the type of treatment you have. With most types of treatments, you can go back to your normal routine within 1-2 weeks. With surgical procedures, you may need to wait for 3 to 6 weeks until you can go back to your normal routine. Whether you have a non-surgical or surgical procedure, it is important to increase the intensity and time of your activities gradually.
After all types of plantar fasciitis treatment, your doctor will give you instructions that you need to follow. These may include medications to take, diet plan to follow, exercises you can do, restrictions, and wound care (for surgical procedures).
After you have fully recovered, it is important that you maintain a healthy weight and you should also try to do low-impact exercises. It is also important that you wear shoes that fit well and support your arch.
Most types of plantar fasciitis treatment are generally effective and safe. However, extracorporeal shock wave therapy has not been shown to be consistently effective. Plantar fasciitis treatment, with the exception of physical therapy, carries some risks and side effects, such as nerve problems, neuroma, recurring heel pain, infection, chronic pain, bruises, numbness, and swelling.
In cases where your plantar fasciitis is not severe, you may be able to take pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, to ease your pain and inflammation. Your doctor may also recommend night splints or orthotics as the alternative. Night splints are used to stretch your calf and the arch of your foot while you sleep. Orthotics are custom-fitted arch supports that can help distribute pressure to your feet more evenly.
Whilst the information presented here has been accurately sourced and verified by a medical professional for its accuracy, it is still advised to consult with your doctor before pursuing a medical treatment at one of the listed medical providers
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Belgium is one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in Europe and has some of Europe’s finest cuisine, including the creamiest chocolates and a wide variation of beers. In addition, it is home to extensive beaches, postcard-worthy dunes, historic cities, and beautiful countryside, with belfries, castles, and carnivals. Belgium has enjoyed a growing reputation for being excellent medical tourism as well as the country boasts immaculate clinical standards. The medical centers in the country offer a wide range of specializes treatments, short waiting time, highly-trained medical professionals, and considerably lower medical costs. Orthopedics and heart surgery are the most sought after procedures in Belgium.
Brussels is the capital of Belgium, as well as home to European Union official seats and NATO headquarters. Here, visitors can see Europe’s grandest squares, visit the beloved statue of a little boy peeing into a basin (Manneken Pis), explore Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, and admire the magnificent Grand Palace. Bruges, a pickled Gothic city, is also worth a visit. The key attractions in the city are the 14th-century town hall, the Cathedral of the Holy Savior, and the Belfry Tower. Other popular cities include Antwerp and Ghent. While Antwerp is famous for its fashion and excellent museums, Ghent is best known for its historic quarter and stunning Van Eyck altarpiece in its colossal cathedral.
Belgium has four distinct seasons. Summer in the country is relatively short, starting in July and ending in August. The season is warm, with bearable heat and some intermittent rain. Winter comes in November and extends until March. It can get rather wet and chilly during this season, with an average temperature of around 3 - 7°C. Spring (April – June) and autumn (September – October) are generally nice and warm, with an average temperature of around 10 - 15°C.
The main international airport in Belgium is Brussels Airport. It serves flights to many major cities around the world, including Copenhagen, Doha, London, New York, Atlanta, Casablanca, and Bangkok. Since Belgium is a small country, there are no domestic flights. The public transport system in the country is extremely well-organized and reasonably priced. The best way to get around the country is by train. The trains are affordable, fast, frequent, very punctual, and have a comprehensive network of lines. Buses tend to be used in conjunction with train services, so you will likely need a train-bus combination when traveling, especially to rural areas. Inside cities, the transport systems are centered on buses, but there are also metro and trams in Brussels and Antwerp. Taxis are plentiful in all cities and ensure to hire metered official taxis, which have standard fares.
Belgium is part of the Schengen Area, so nationals of EU/EEA countries do not need a visa to visit the country regardless of their length of stay or purpose of travels. Citizens of 62 countries, including Canadian, Australian, and US nationals, can stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days. Belgium Visa for Medical reasons is available for people who need to obtain medical care in the country.