What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis means inflammation of your plantar fascia. Your plantar fascia is a strong band of tissue (like a ligament) that stretches from your heel to your middle foot bones. It supports the arch of your foot and also acts as a shock-absorber in your foot.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis is caused by abnormal pronation of the foot. Contributing factors are obesity, weight gain, jobs that require a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces, badly worn shoes with little support, and also inactivity.
As a result of over-pronation, with every step the Plantar Fascia (band of tissue under the foot) is being stretched, resulting in inflammation, irritation and pain at the attachment of the fascia into the heel bone. In some cases the pain is felt under the foot, in the arch.
How can we help?
If treated early (i.e. within 3-4 months of the onset of heel pain) Plantar Fasciitis can be treated effectively by wearing orthotic insoles. Orthotics can correct over-pronation and support the arch. This will help release the tension on the plantar fascia, thus treating the cause of Plantar Fasciitis.
