Plantar Fasciitis is the swelling of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes. It is one of the most common causes of heel pain.
Causes
The main cause of Plantar Fasciitis is repetitive stretching and stress on the plantar fascia that can result from a number of things:
- Weakening of the tissue that occurs over time, especially in older or middle-aged people.
- People who spend a lot of time on their feet, like athletes or soldiers.
- Your feet rolling inward too often when you walk, known as excessive pronation.
- High arches or flat feet.
- Tight achilles tendon or calf muscles.
Symptoms
The most common symptom is a stabbing pain near the heel of your foot, which usually occurs early in the morning or after not moving for a while. As you begin to move and loosen up the pain usually subsides as the day goes on.
Prevention:
- Wear shoes with proper arch support and heel cushioning.
- Stretch your achilles tendon and calf muscles daily.
- For athletes, alternate high impact activities like running with low impact activities like cycling.
- Remain at a healthy weight.
Treatment
The best treatment for Plantar Fasciitis is a combination of rest with icing and stretching. Pain will usually go away after a few months. Your doctor may want to have you wear custom orthotics if your issue is flat feet or a high arch. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatories are a good way to deal with the nagging dull pain that often persists with Plantar Fasciitis.