Plantar Fasciitis

If you are a highly athletic individual and are constantly on your feet, you stand a higher chance of developing plantar fasciitis. Notably, this condition is very common among runners. Before we can get deeper into the topic, it is essential that we understand what plantar fasciitis is.

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At the bottom of your foot, there’s a thick band that runs across it attaching your toes to the heel bone. This fibrous band of tissue is known as the plantar fascia and provides support to not only the arch of the foot but the surrounding muscles. Due to the functional importance of the plantar fascia, when it’s overstretched or torn, it can lead to heel pain and inflammation.

After numerous studies, doctors have come to the conclusion that plantar fasciitis can lead to the development of heel spurs. The heel pain caused by this condition is often characterized by a stabbing sensation on your heel.

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If the first thing you experience in the morning is heel pain, chances are that you are suffering from plantar fasciitis. Additionally, if you tend to experience stabbing pain in your heel after walking and/ or standing for too long, you may have developed the condition as well.

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Runners or athletic people are not the ones at risk of developing Plantar fasciitis. Numerous studies show that obese or overweight individuals stand the risk of developing the condition as well.

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This is because the plantar fascia is a weight-bearing part of the body, and the more you weigh, the more strain you place on it. Additionally, an obese or overweight person has a high fat composition in his body. The fat is deposited along the arterial walls, leading to cardiovascular diseases. The fat is also deposited in other areas of the body such as the plantar fascia.

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The more fat deposited on it, the less flexible it is. The stiffer the plantar fascia, the easier it is to damage. Below we take a look at a number of other causes of plantar fasciitis.