Plantar fasciitis (PF) can cause debilitating pain in your foot or heel that diminishes your ability to perform everyday functions or engage in sports or exercise. Dr. Corey Griffith, and Dr. Randall Thomas, our skilled podiatrists from Clintonville Foot & Ankle Group have a lot of experience at treating plantar fasciitis pain in Columbus, and Dublin OH.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects your heel to the front of your foot. When this band of connective tissue becomes inflamed, PF may result. There are several reasons why this could happen.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
PF is mostly caused by overuse resulting from repetitive strain on the foot. The plantar fascia is very good at supporting your foot in most activities. PF results when the strain placed on the foot overpowers the amount of load that the plantar fascia can provide support for.
Another circumstance that can lead to plantar fasciitis is when you place an average amount of load on your foot for long periods. This can also cause the plantar fascia to overwork and become too stressed. But other factors lead to plantar fasciitis relating to the anatomy and mechanics of your foot.
Plantar fasciitis is not a condition that you inherited from your parents, nor should you worry about passing it to your child. No direct genetic link is involved in this condition, there is no 'plantar fasciitis' gene. What your family can pass on by way of genetics are structural abnormalities in the foot or other parts of the skeleton. An example is inheriting flat feet from your parents. This may cancel out part of the function of the plantar fascia that supports the arch. Some additional causes are:
- Sudden increases in activity levels
- Age - This condition is prevalent between the ages of 40 to 60 years as a result of years of stress placed on the foot without adequate support
- Repetitive high-impact exercise
- Routinely walking or running on hard surfaces
- Shoes that do not provide adequate support
- Tightness in calf muscles
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- High arches of your feet
- Certain medical conditions cause your ligaments to be excessively lax.
What Are the Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis?
PF can cause many symptoms. An accurate diagnosis by our team in Columbus, and Dublin OH of plantar fasciitis is the crucial first step in determining the best treatment. Some symptoms are:
- Heel pain
- Pain when first stepping out of bed in the morning (a hallmark sign)
- Foot or heel pain when standing up and walking after resting
- Foot pain after activities, rather than during
- Tight and painful Achilles tendon
- Pain that lasts for several months
Contact Us
Treat your plantar fasciitis in Columbus OH, Dublin OH with Dr. Griffith, or Dr. Thomas at Clintonville Foot & Ankle Group. Schedule a consultation by calling our Clintonville office at (614) 267-8387 or our Dublin location at (614) 761-1466.