Plantar Fasciitis

What Is Plantar Fasciitis? 

If you’re experiencing arch or heel pain, chances are that it’s due to plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissues that runs the length of your foot, connecting the heel and ball of your foot to your toes and even forming the arch in your foot. This body part is the star player in the makeup and mobility of your foot, but its constant use also means that it’s prone to injury. When the plantar fascia is damaged, it leads to painful inflammation called plantar fasciitis. It’s one of the most common foot problems but thankfully has a variety of treatment options to get people back up and moving. 

Common Causes of Plantar Fasciitis 

When the tissues that connect every part of your foot are injured, it’s no wonder that you’ll experience pain. Although many people with plantar fasciitis feel more pain with the first step of the day, this condition can affect almost every activity, from walking to jogging to even standing for any amount of time. So, what causes plantar fasciitis?

• Overstretching of the foot arch 

• Wearing unsupportive shoes 

• Participating in activities that put pressure on the heel 

• Overuse of the feet, like training for a marathon or standing for long periods 

• Foot structure, such as flat feet or high arches 

• Weight gain 

• Age-related issues, such as the weakening of surrounding muscles in the foot

Plantar Fasciitis Chart: Pain Identification at a Glance 

With plantar fasciitis, understanding where your pain is coming from is the first step to finding a solution. There are several areas of the foot where you might experience symptoms of plantar fasciitis. See if you can pinpoint the pain with this chart and be sure to consult a doctor if it continues.   

Where Is Your Plantar Fasciitis Pain?  

Heel Pain

Arch of Foot Pain

Stiffness at the Bottom of Your Foot

Swelling Around the Heel

A Tight Achilles Tendon

Heel Pain 

One of the most common plantar fasciitis symptoms is pain in the heel of your foot. This is where the plantar fascia begins, so any extra stress on your heel can cause the tissues to become inflamed. Most people feel a sharp or stabbing pain in their heel, often worse in the morning or when stepping on it after a period of inactivity.

If you’re wondering, “Why does my heel hurt?” this might be why:  

• You’ve been running, walking, or jumping on hard surfaces. People who play sports where there is a lot of pounding, either on a court, across pavement, or in a gym, are more prone to heel pain. 

• You have weakened muscles in the foot, typically due to getting older, when your muscles lose strength over time. 

• There is excess pressure on the heel, sometimes due to weight gain. 

• You’ve got tight calf muscles, which can strain your ankle, heel bone, and plantar fascia. 

Arch of Foot Pain 

Do you feel a tightness, achiness, or stiffness in the arch of your foot? If so, it’s likely you have plantar fasciitis. Foot arch pain stems from overstretching the plantar fascia, a common occurrence if you:

• Overpronate or supinate, meaning that your feet roll inward or outward when you walk or run. 

• Have flat feet or a high arch. 

• Don’t stretch your feet, ankles, or calves before exercising. 

• Frequently walk barefoot or wear shoes without arch support. 

• Spend a lot of time walking or standing on hard surfaces. 

• Increase your activity level suddenly. 

Stiffness at the Bottom of Your Foot 

Sometimes the bottom of your foot might feel tight, where moving your toes up or down is difficult or your foot is just generally inflexible. If the stiffness seems to be coming from your arch or even back toward your heel, plantar fasciitis is probably the culprit. When the plantar fascia isn’t stretched or strengthened properly, certain activities, like running, walking, or standing for long periods, can irritate it, causing that uncomfortable tension and achiness in the bottom of your foot. 

Swelling Around the Heel 

Swelling on the bottom of your foot around your heel, along with heel pain, are symptoms of plantar fasciitis. High-impact activities, weakened foot muscles, and tight calf muscles can all put too much stress on the plantar fascia, which can, in turn, become overstretched or inflamed. It’s important to remember that with plantar fasciitis, you shouldn’t experience foot swelling alone; it’s almost always accompanied by pain in or near the heel. Consult with your doctor to ensure that the inflammation around your heel isn’t due to another condition.

A Tight Achilles Tendon 

Your Achilles tendon facilitates many of the activities you enjoy every day by connecting your heel to your calf muscles to help you move. With overuse or extended use, this tendon can become tight or even painful, and you’ll typically feel it at the back of your ankle or lower leg.

While technically a separate issue from plantar fasciitis, a tight Achilles tendon is a risk factor that can lead to plantar fasciitis. Why? The body is made up of a series of connections—when one tendon or muscle is strained, other parts of your body may overcompensate. So a lack of mobility in your ankle or calf from a tight Achilles tendon can put more strain on the plantar fascia tissues in the foot, leading to heel or arch pain.

What Are Typical Treatment Options for Plantar Fasciitis? 

You use your feet to do just about everything, so when you experience heel pain or arch stiffness, it can put a damper on your day. Discover the treatment options that are typically recommended for plantar fasciitis:

• Cold therapy: Icing the parts of your foot in pain can reduce inflammation. One particularly helpful method for alleviating foot arch pain and tightness is rolling a frozen water bottle under the arch and along the bottom of your foot. 

• Stretching and strengthening: This is of the best things you can do for plantar fasciitis. While you can search online for foot, ankle, and calf stretches and strengthening exercises, it might be helpful to talk to a physical therapist or foot doctor to receive more targeted advice. 

• Rest from high-impact activities: As hard as it might be, take a break from activities where you land hard on your feet, like running. Instead, try low-impact exercising, like swimming or biking, to let your feet heal. 

• Arch supports: To treat and prevent plantar fasciitis, your doctor might recommend these to support the arches of your foot, provide shock absorption, and keep you from pronating.

How Arch Supports Can Help 

When you’re experiencing arch or heel pain, you might be tempted to turn to generic insoles, but these don’t provide the personalized fit that your foot needs to treat and prevent plantar fasciitis. Good Feet Arch Supports may be the solution your feet have been searching for.

Good Feet Arch Supports target all four arches of the foot to correct poor biomechanics, strengthen your plantar fascia, and get you back on your feet in no time—without pain. What’s more, our Arch Support 3-Step System is engineered to fit your foot specifically, providing balance, stability, and comfort no matter the activity.

Find a Good Feet Store Near You 

Ready to get back on the path to living pain-free? Stop by The Good Feet Store for a free arch support fitting and test walk, where you can wave goodbye to plantar fasciitis symptoms and say hello to properly aligned feet. Locate a Store Near You