Foot Is Being Watched

Kobe Bryant’s left foot is now in the hands of Gary Vitti.

Vitti, in his 21st season as Laker trainer, detailed Friday the treatment plan for Bryant’s plantar fasciitis, a painful swelling of the strip of tissue that stretches from the heel to the ball of the foot.

Vitti said the Lakers were “way ahead of the curve on this thing,” and outlined a regimen that included deep-tissue massage and the distribution of an anti-inflammatory topical medication via ultrasound and electrical current.

“We’re trying to push medicine through his skin to that site,” Vitti said. “We’re trying to get so far ahead of it, it will go away.”

At night, Bryant will wear a splint while he sleeps that keeps his foot stabilized.

Vitti said Bryant felt twinges in the underside of his foot earlier in the week and brought it to Vitti’s attention before Wednesday’s game against Memphis.

The condition can be caused by numerous factors, including poorly fitted shoes or walking around barefoot too often, but there were no specific causes in Bryant’s case, Vitti said.

Bryant’s condition appears to be less severe than what some other NBA players have had, but at the same time, Vitti cautioned that pro athletes take longer to overcome plantar fasciitis than the average person.

“Obviously, it’s a lot more difficult for it to go away if you’re pounding on it all the time,” Vitti said.

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The Lakers were one of about 10 teams fined in an NBA crackdown on uniform infractions.

Officials from the Lakers and the NBA would not comment, but the Lakers were believed to have been fined $10,000 because some players wore shooting shirts instead of uniform tops during warmups before a recent game. The Lakers will not appeal the fine.

“Everyone on our team or in the NBA should dress and look like the professionals we are,” Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak said.

TONIGHT

at Houston, 5:30 PST, Ch. 9

Site -- Toyota Center.

Radio -- KLAC (570); KWKW (1330).

Records -- Lakers 3-4, Rockets 3-3.

Record vs. Rockets (2003-04) -- 2-2.

Update -- Tracy McGrady, acquired by the Rockets from Orlando during the off-season, sat out Thursday’s game and might not play tonight because of nagging hip and groin strains. McGrady is averaging 20.8 points, about seven fewer than last season. Yao Ming averages 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds.