What Is Foot Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)?
It is estimated that this condition affects up to 10% of the USA adult population at least once in their life. This issue is quite different from your normal “run of the mill” injuries, because it doesn’t specifically affect muscles or tendons. It is a more Generalised Condition.
The Plantar Fascia runs from your heel to the ball of your foot. It’s like a bow-string under the arch of your foot – and it’s quite delicate! Given the amount of daily activities our feet undertake, it’s not surprising this area can often cause a lot of trouble.
The worst cases can also be accompanied by Heel Spurs – where the heel-bone develops a protrusion along the points where the ligaments attach. You need to fix your problem before heel spurs develop!
How Does Plantar Fasciitis Become Painful?
Well, it’s all about inflammation, damage, strains and tears. When it’s damaged, it can be extremely painful, and notoriously difficult to treat. The pain doesn’t stop at the base of your feet either – it can go right around your heel, and even cause pain in your knees and hips as your body tries to over-compensate, and becomes unbalanced.
When you have pain in your feet, you subconsciously try to redistribute the weight to the other side, and this causes other issues – we have seen people with strained calf muscles because of Plantar Fasciitis!
If you have Plantar Fasciitis for a long period of time, you run the risk of developing heel spurs – now it’s becoming a chronic disease. You really need to deal with the issue before this stage.
Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms
Your personal experience of this pain can differ from other people! A majority of people will feel a pain in the bottom of their foot in the morning, and it can take a while to subside. The main symptoms of plantar fasciitis can include:
- Morning time – A sharp pain in the foot when you get up
- During the day – if you have been sitting for a while – the same pain
- Pain and stiffness in the heel, extending to the arch of the foot
- Tightness under the arch of your foot which responds well to stretching
Causes Of Plantar Fasciitis
- Being Overweight
- Bad Footwear (lacking support)
- Exercising on solid or rough surfaces
- Change in your exercise routine – doing more than normal
- Exercising while stiff or sore from previous sessions
- Aggressive over-stretching (don’t overdo it!)
