Plantar Fasciitis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments & Exercises

Foot pain can be common not just for trainers and athletes, but for people in general as this type of pain affects up to 87% of the population. One of the conditions that is often behind pain in the foot is plantar fasciitis. 

What Plantar Fasciitis Is

Plantar fasciitis, also sometimes called plantar fasciosis, is a condition in which there is inflammation in the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot. This connective tissue runs from the heel to the toes. 

The plantar fascia ligament provides arch support for the foot. This arch carries your body weight when standing. It also plays an important role in lower body movements such as walking, running, and jumping. When inflammation sets in, all these movements can lead to pain.

There are two basic types of plantar fasciitis. The first is acute plantar fasciitis. This type comes on suddenly and generally occurs as a result of injury. The second is chronic plantar fasciitis. In this type, the pain comes on slowly and worsens with time.

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

The Cleveland Clinic shares that, in some cases, there is no obvious cause of plantar fasciitis. At the same time, there are a few factors that can increase one’s risk of developing this foot condition. They include:

• Having a high foot arch or having a flat foot

• Wearing a shoe with inadequate support

• Being obese

• Standing for long periods, especially on hard surfaces

There are also some risk factors specifically associated with being physically active. Among them are:

• Being an athlete, particularly runners and jumpers

• Exercising on hard surfaces 

• A tight calf muscle, such as from not stretching before exercise

A tight Achilles tendon is another cause of plantar fasciitis. The Achilles tendon runs from the calf muscle to the heel. If the Achilles is tight, the plantar fascia also tightens. This tightness leads to inflammation and pain. Ankle surgery can also sometimes lead to this condition.

Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

How do you know if your foot pain might be due to plantar fasciitis? The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons indicates that some of the most common symptoms include:

• Heel pain and pain on the bottom of the affected foot

• Heel pain that is worse in the morning, and after periods of being sedentary

• Pain that increases after exercise and other physical activity

If you have chronic plantar fasciitis, you may experience foot pain that never seems to go away. A symptom of acute plantar fasciitis is pain that appears suddenly.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Options

Chronic heel pain from plantar fasciitis can last several months. Fortunately, there are a number of treatment remedies helpful for easing the pain.

One of the easiest treatments involves icing the area. This helps by reducing both the pain and inflammation. Massaging the plantar fascia can be helpful for improving blood flow to the affected area. If the fascia is tight, massage provides a secondary benefit, which is to help it release.

It’s also important to wear a supportive shoe. The better the shoe supports the foot’s arch, the lower the likelihood that the plantar fascia will become inflamed. A similar option is to use a shoe insert. 

This insert helps create an arch in the foot that better supports your body weight. The benefit of this option is that it can be transferred from one shoe to another easily. You can purchase a shoe insert over the counter at most any pharmacy or retail store. A foot doctor can also prescribe custom orthotics designed for your foot’s structure and function specifically.

A night splint is also sometimes helpful in easing heel pain derived from plantar fascia inflammation. This splint helps keep the ankle in a neutral position. It also provides a gentle calf stretch, thereby reducing the tension on the plantar fascia ligament.

If these options don’t work, physical therapy may be needed. A therapist can work with you to reduce muscle tightness that might be contributing to your plantar heel pain. Cortisone injections may also be recommended. These injections work by reducing inflammation and pain.

In some cases, relief may not be achieved through nonsurgical treatment. This leaves plantar fasciitis surgery one of the only remedies available. In this surgery, the plantar fascia is cut in an effort to relieve the tension. Another surgical option is to lengthen the calf. This works by reducing the tension on the plantar fascia ligament.

Exercises to Help Ease Plantar Fasciitis Pain

Whether you have this condition yourself or are training a client with plantar fasciitis, there are a few exercises that can help provide pain relief. 

Calf Stretch

The first exercise good for easing plantar fascia pain is a simple calf stretch. This one works best if calf tightness is contributing to the heel pain. To do it, stand facing the wall with one foot in front of the other. Bend the front knee and lean forward, pushing against the wall. Push the hips forward until you feel a stretch in the calf muscle. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then release. Repeat 12 to 15 times on each foot.

Seated Stretch

This exercise is good for relaxing the plantar fascia directly. While sitting down, bring the pained foot up so it is resting on the knee of the opposite leg. Pull the toes on the foot slowly and gently. You should feel this stretch along the bottom of the foot. Do these 12 to 15 times. If you have a hard time pulling the foot up to the opposite leg, you can keep that leg extended and place a towel under the affected foot. Gently pull the towel back toward you, stretching the plantar fascia in the process.

Plantar Fascia Roll

Sometimes you can get the plantar fascia to release with the help of massage. Rolling a tennis ball or water bottle under the foot provides this type of effect. Move the foot slowly over the ball or bottle around 10 times. If you use a water bottle, freeze it first to ice the foot during the massage. This further helps reduce both inflammation and pain.

Toe Scrunches

This exercise works by strengthening the foot. To do it, place a towel on the floor and set your foot on top of it. Spread your toes as much as you can, then scrunch them as if to try to pick the towel up. Do this 10 times, then move to the other foot.

When to See a Healthcare Provider for Foot Pain

Most people with plantar fasciitis will recover on their own. However, if your heel pain is chronic or severe, it might be time to see a medical professional.

This professional can run tests to help determine if you, in fact, have plantar fasciitis. This is important because many conditions can cause pain in the heel or foot. They include:

• Heel spurs. A heel spur also causes heel pain. A heel spur occurs when there is a small calcium deposit on the heel. Over time, this deposit builds, resulting in pain.

• Achilles tendonitis. If the pain is above the heel, Achilles tendonitis may be to blame. This condition involves overuse of the Achilles tendon and is common in runners and “weekend warriors.”

• Heel bone fracture. It’s also possible that the pain exists because you’ve fractured your heel bone. This fracture can occur if you’ve placed excessive force on the heel bone, such as when jumping to make a basket, then landing squarely on the heel of the foot.

Because foot pain can come from a variety of causes, getting to the bottom of your pain is the first step to figuring out how to relieve it. 

If you are a trainer who enjoys helping clients who struggle with pain yet still want to achieve their fitness goals, ISSA offers Corrective Exercise Specialist certification. This course teaches several ways to overcome some of the most common muscle-related pain and movement limitations.  

References

Basic Facts about Basic Facts | Aging & Health A-Z | American Geriatrics Society | HealthInAging.org. Healthinaging.org. Retrieved 15 June 2022, from https://www.healthinaging.org/a-z-topic/foot-problems/basic-facts.

Plantar Fasciitis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 15 June 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14709-plantar-fasciitis.

Plantar Fasciitis and Bone Spurs - OrthoInfo - AAOS. Orthoinfo.aaos.org. Retrieved 15 June 2022, from https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/plantar-fasciitis-and-bone-spurs.