Plantar fasciitis is usually an overuse injury causing heel pain and foot pain. Plantar fasciitis most commonly occurs due to repetitive or prolonged activities placing strain on the plantar fascia, which is a ligament that runs on the inside arch under your foot.
A tear or strain can occasionally occur at the origin of the plantar fascia at the bottom of your heel. This results in inflammation in the ligament causing pain. Most commonly however, plantar fasciitis occurs over a period of time without any specific accident causing inflammation & micro-tearing of the plantar fascia ligament.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis:
– Pain in the arch and/or heel of your foot
– Pain is worse in the morning when you first get up
– Pain settles once you’re moving but gets worse throughout the day
– Swelling and/or tenderness on firmly touching the arch or heel of your foot
How can physiotherapy help with Plantar Fasciitis?
A physiotherapist can advise on stretching exercises, or apply strapping and massage techniques to reduce the pain. Your physiotherapist can also assess your biomechanics (the way you walk and run) to see if that may be contributing to your pain. Specific strengthening exercises and the use of orthotics can help correct faulty biomechanics which may be causing your pain.
