Plantar Fasciitis
By
Chris Graff
of
Trackcoach.com
Plantar Fasciitis (pronounced PLAN-tar fashee-EYE-tiss) is an inflammation of
the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is tissue that lies between the muscles in the
mid-foot and the skin on the bottom of the foot. The function of the plantar fascia is to
maintain the arch of the foot by attaching the ball of the foot to the heel and creating a
bow like shape. During each step of running the plantar endures the stress of the three
times the individual’s body weight when the heel is first raised off the ground in
the forward motion, making it obvious why many runners incur this common problem.
A sign of plantar fasciitis is pain in the middle to front region of the heel,
especially in the first few steps of running or walking when you have been inactive for a
long period of time. The pain can also commonly be found directly in the arch of the foot,
where the tissue is located. At times a small ridge can be seen connecting the heel to the
ball of the foot: this is an extremely inflamed plantar. The pain (which is caused by the
enlarged plantar trapping or irritating nerves in the foot) can last anywhere from a few
days to a few months, depending on the severity of the case and the steps taken to cure
it.
The most common causes of plantar fasciitis are a lack of arch support in the
shoes, increase in activity, lack of flexibility in the calf muscles, being overweight,
using unstable shoes on hard ground, or spending too much time on your feet. There are
several cures to the problem although no one is guaranteed to be the absolute solution.
The treatments are....
