Dealing With Foot Pain

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Foot pain is relatively common and it is one of the most frustrating locations to have pain because it can impact everything you do.

One of the most common causes of foot pain is plantar fasciitis which affects one million people each year and two-thirds of them end up seeing their doctor because they can't deal with the pain.

The pain is usually in the heel and it's thought to be caused by biomechanical overuse from prolonged standing or running.

The symptoms are classic: most patients say they experience heel pain almost immediately after standing up in the morning or when they get up if they have bee sitting for a long period of time.

Usually, it the pain improves with walking, but in some cases, it actually gets worse by the day's end if the patient walks for a long time.

Initially, the best way to treat it is rest, ice, massage, and anti-inflammatory medications.