What is Plantar Fasciitis and What causes it?
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 orginates from the heal bone on the sole of your foot and then fans out to attach to the mid-foot.
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 the this area that can present similarly to Plantar
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
There are numerous causes of Plantar Fasciitis but in this article we will look at the most common.
Overloading
This is typically identified through a sudden increase in load. 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 two 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.
Changes in Environment
Changes in footwear
Change in surface type that you walk/run on
If you would any further advice or to book an appointment, please contact us.
