What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common podiatric diagnoses. It is an inflammation of a thick, fibrous ligament in the arch of the foot known as the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone and goes out towards the ball of the foot, attaching into the base of the toes.

What is the cause of plantar fasciitis?

One of the main causes of plantar fasciitis is an injury in the plantar fascia. Other common causes include sports, tight shoes, walking barefoot, overstretching, and foot mechanics (such as a being flat-footed or having a higher arch).

What are symptoms and treatments for plantar fasciitis?

If the ligament of the plantar fascia is stretched excessively it will become inflamed and begin to cause pain. The main emphasis of treatment of plantar fasciitis is to reduce the forces that are causing the plantar fascia to stretch excessively. This may include calf muscle stretching, custom molded orthotics, and cortisone injections. Oral anti-inflammatory medications may also be used in controlling the pain. Please seek visual stretching exercises for plantar fasciitis in patient instructions section. If conservative forms of treatment are not successful, shockwave treatment may be recommended by your podiatrist.

Source: Podiatry Network, http://podiatrynetwork.com/?p=925