Plantar Fasciitis

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a very common condition that affects up to 15 percent of adults. The fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot from your heel bone to your toes and supports your arch.

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is stress on the plantar fascia, which can be attributed to a number of things: wearing the wrong shoes, obesity, rolling your ankles inward while you walk, or simple overuse (think: running too far too fast or standing too long on a hard surface).

Treatment

• Rest, balanced with stretching exercises to lengthen the heel cord and plantar fascia
• Ice massage to the bottom of the foot after activities that trigger heel pain
• Avoidance of walking barefoot or wearing slippers or sandals that provide little arch support
• A temporary switch to swimming and/or bicycling instead of sports that involve running and jumping
• Shoes with soft heels and insoles
• Taping the bottom of the injured foot
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)