|
Plantar Fasciitis (often misspelled as 'Fascitis') also called "policeman's heel" is a painful inflammatory condition causing heel pain and in some people heel spurs. It can also result in arch pain.
The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most intense with the first steps when getting out of bed in the morning. It is commonly associated with long periods of weight bearing or sudden changes in weight bearing or activity.
Plantar Fasciitis is presented by a sharp stabbing pain at the bottom or front of the heel bone. In most cases, heel pain is more severe following periods of inactivity when getting up and then subsides, turning into a dull ache.
The main cause of Plantar Fasciitis is caused by over-pronation. This means that with every step we take our ankles roll inward and arches lower. Contributing factors are age, weight gain, walking or standing on hard surfaces and also tight muscles and ligaments, in particular tight calf muscles and achilles tendons.
As a result of over-pronation, with every step the plantar fascia (band of tissue under the foot) is being overly stretched resulting in inflammation, micro-tearing and pain at the attachment of the fascia into the heel bone. In some cases pain is also felt under the foot in the arch area.
Continuous pulling of the fascia at the heel bone, eventually may lead to the development of a bony growth on the heel. This is called a Heel Spur. It should be noted that spurs are a mere symptom of Plantar Fasciitis; they do not cause any pain.
|
