Plantar Fasciitis Treatment - Elite Sport & Spine - Sports

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What is the plantar fascia? The plantar fascia is a band of tissue on the bottom of the foot that attaches to the heel and all five toes. The plantar fascia has various functions. One function is to act as a protective layer for all the neurovascular structures, muscles, and bones of the foot. Another function is to support the arches of the foot while standing and during gait, making it a very important structure during walking. At the heel strike phase, the plantar fascia has some slack in it. This allows the foot to adjust to all the uneven surfaces that we walk on daily. During the stance phase, it helps to support the arches of the foot, so that the foot doesn’t collapse flat while bearing weight on that leg. During the toe off phase, the plantar fascia utilizes something called the windlass mechanism (a way to tighten a rope), to become taut and make the foot more rigid. This mechanism allows for the foot to be more efficient during propulsion. So, now that we have discussed the various functions of the plantar fascia, we shall turn the attention to the term “plantar fasciitis”.This is not a great term for what this condition encompasses. The suffix “itis” means inflammatory diseases. So, in this case it would be inflammation of the plantar fascia. Which it was initially thought to be. However, this doesn’t seem to be consistent with what the current literature is saying. Instead, the term plantar fasciosis might be more accurate. “Osis” implying a pathological state of the plantar fascia. Causes of Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis is caused by a biomechanical overuse of the plantar fascia, leading to microtearing of this tissue, usually around the heel. Which is why one of the more common symptoms of plantar Continue Reading