What is Plantar Fasciitis and Plantar Fasciitis causes
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis is typically associated with pain on the bottom of your heel and/or along the arch of your foot. It is a result of a change in the structure of the plantar fascia. The causes of this pain can be influenced by factors such as overuse, changes in footwear or terrain, or as a result of over-loading. Plantar Fascia is a band-like substance that looks like sheaths of cling film. It originates from the heel bone on the sole of your foot and then fans out to attach to the mid-foot. When there is pain on this structure it is typically referred to as plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fasciitis is typically associated with pain on its attachment into the heel bone and/or in the arch of the foot. There should be a clear pain = load pattern, i.e. pain post/during activity such as walking, running, standing. However, it is important to get a diagnosis from a registered professional as there is a number of conditions close this area that can present similarly to Plantar
Plantar Fasciitis Causes:
There are numerous causes of heel and foot pain but in this article we will look at the most common Plantar Fasciitis Causes.
Overloading
This is typically identified through a sudden change in use. Examples of overloading include:
- An increase in step count
- Spending greater time on your feet than normal
- Increasing your running distance, volume or speed
Overuse
Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common conditions that we see in clinic for these reasons.
- Those who live in London, on average, tend to walk significantly more on a daily basis than others.
- There is a large amount of Runners and Triathletes in SW London.
Research indicates that 1/3 of all runners are likely to experience Plantar Fasciitis and 1/10 of all people are likely to encounter it in their lifetime. Therefore, the demographic of London has a high likelihood of occurrence due to lifestyle factors.
Biomechanical Issues
Changes in foot shape of strength over time through weakening of foot muscle can alter your gait and place extra pressure on your plantar fascia
Altered gait as a result of conditions such as hallux rigidus
Compensation patterns at a result of pain elsewhere on your body can place additional stress on your plantar fascia
Changes in Environment
Changes in footwear
Change in surface type that you walk/run on
Physiotherapy at Flawless Physio
We recommend that you receive an official diagnosis before trying any of the above as there are numerous conditions that have a similar presentation to plantar fasciitis.
We offer Private Physiotherapy via online appointments for £40 and Face-to-Face appointments for £70 in our clinics.
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