Foot Injuries

What is 'plantar fasciitis'?

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fascia, which is a thick fibrous layer that helps support the longitudinal arch of the foot. The most common reason for having this is standing on a hard surface for hours on end, or tight calf muscles. We also see it in people who don't wear a soft rubber soled shoe when standing for long periods of time. It is very painful, and is not as a result of a heel spur. Rather, the heel spur is the result and not the cause of plantar fasciitis. The treatment of this is using a heel cup, stretching the calf muscle, using soft rubber soled shoes, and stretching the foot and the calf down.