What is Plantar Fasciitis? - What is That Heel Pain?

Plantar fasciitis is that pain in the bottom of your foot usually felt around your heel. That pain especially hurts first thing in the morning when you try to get out of bed and stand on your feet, or after sitting for awhile.

The meaning of the name Plantar fasciitis is: "Plantar" means the bottom of the foot, "fascia" is a type of connective tissue, and "itis" means "inflammation". You can see in the picture the plantar fascia band as it runs along the foot. The plantar fascia band runs from your heel to the toes. Plantar Fasciitis is caused by wounding the tough plantar fascia band on the bottom of your foot.

The plantar fascia is a relatively inflexible, strong, fibrous band on the bottom of the foot. It helps maintain the complex arch system of the foot, it helps to absorb shock, plays a role in one's balance and in the various phases of gait. The plantar fascia transmits your weight across the bottom of the foot with each step you take. At the moment the heel of the trailing leg begins to lift off the ground, the plantar fascia endures tension that is approximately two times body weight. This moment of maximum tension is increased if there is lack of flexibility in the calf muscles. Plantar Fasciitis will usually be close to the heel but it might happen anywhere along the band. If the plantar fascia band gets bruised or stretched, the inflammation causes the pain. It can also get partially detached from the heel and a calcium deposit can form - a heel spur.

Plantar fasciitis can also be known as a heel spur although they are not strictly the same. A heel spur is a bony growth that occurs at the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone (calcaneus). A heel spur can be present on a foot with no symptoms at all. A painful heel does not always have a heel spur present. Heal spur and painful heal does not necessarily go together.

Plantar fasciitis is traditionally thought to be an inflammatory condition. This is now believed to be inaccurate due to sometimes absence of inflammatory cells within the fascia. The cause of pain and dysfunction is now thought to be degeneration of the collagen fibers close to the attachment of the plantar fascia band to the heel bone (calcaneus). Plantar fasciitis is more common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who spend time on their feet a lot, like athletes or soldiers. It can happen in one foot or both feet. Plantar fasciitis or heel spurs are common in sports which involve running, dancing or jumping. Runners with feet that overpronate (feet rolling in or flattening) are particularly at risk as the biomechanics of the foot causes additional stretching of the plantar fascia band.

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