Oh, My Aching Feet!

Plantar Fasciitis is a painful condition effecting the heel and arch area of the foot.  Symptoms include pain in the heel and arch with walking.  Pain, especially with the first steps in the morning upon rising and after prolonged sitting.  The pain can range from mild to quite severe.  The pain results from an irritation to the thick fibrous tissue on the bottom of the foot known as the planter fascia.  It attaches to the heel and runs along the bottom of the foot to the ball of the foot.  If the foot flattens out more than normal (overpronation), the fascia is stretched and overtime, can cause irritation to the fascia at its insertion into the heel.

Microtearing occurs and can start to pull the bone away from the heel resulting in a bone spur.  As you sleep at night, or when you are off your feet, the tissue begins to "scar" down as it attempts to heal itself and then when you step down onto the foot it "stretches or tears" the fascia and that is typically why those first steps are killers. 

Symptoms can be set off from overpronation, changes in activity, improper shoe wear, using foot to dig with a shovel or climbing ladders.  Most of the time plantar fasciitis responds to conservative therapy consisting of icing, proper stretching, strengthening exercises and custom orthotics.

Article provided by the staff of the Integrity facility in Pickerington, Ohio.