What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain! Your plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band that starts at the heel bone and extends along the sole of the foot. It acts to stabilise the sole of the foot and arch, and help convey force passively through the foot. When your plantar fascia becomes inflamed it is known as plantar fasciitis. It is more common in women, overweight persons and those who are over 50 yrs old.
The reason for plantar fasciitis is largely unknown but it often falls into 2 categories- traction or compression type. Traction plantar fasciitis is usually exacerbated by tractioning forces along it. In simple terms, the plantar fascia has become overstretched due to foot biomechanics (over pronation) or weakness in the foot itself (specifically the arch muscles).
Compression type plantar fasciitis generally has more of a traumatic history such as landing heavily on the foot (ie; with box jumps, a fall from a height or standing on a sharp object).
The most notable symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain with standing on the heel, especially after prolonged sitting. It can also feel painful in the arch of the foot where it meets the heel. Plantar fasciitis is usually diagnosed by your physiotherapist based on your symptoms, history and clinical presentation.
Treatment for plantar fasciitis is split into 2 phases- phase 1 to settle the pain and inflammation, and phase 2 to look at how the inflammation developed. Is there a biomechanical issue that cause the overload? Was there a change in loading- increased high impact activity or change in footwear?
The good news is that plantar fasciitis is reversible in most cases! Due to the large biomechanical contribution it is vital that a thorough biomechanical assessment so that the cause can be treated alongside the pain! In some cases you may need to do strengthening exercises of the legs and pelvis, and in others your physio may recommend a podiatrist take a look!
City Physio & Sports Injury Centre has been providing musculoskeletal physiotherapy in the MLC Centre for over 30 years. Our team are expertly trained in providing detailed full-body assessments and delivering personalised treatment for musculoskeletal conditions, sports injuries, headaches, neck and back pain.