Anatomy
The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous connective tissue in the arch of your foot, it starts at your heel and spreads in width, like a fan widening toward your toes. It has 3 distinct bands and is highly innervated with nerve endings. It functions to assist in keeping the arch of your foot, it is the truss of the foot when you are standing in weight bearing position.Who is at risk
Approximately 1 in 10 people will suffer from plantar fasciitis, more common in 40-60’s, 15% of all adult foot complaints. It affects both athletic and non-athletic individuals and accounts for 8% of running injuries. BMI and the amount of time you spend on your feet during the day are risk factors.How Pt can help
The plantar fascia is commonly known in the medical field as the black hole of foot and ankle disorders as it is challenging to treat. Common symptoms include pain with initial weight bearing after sitting or laying down, symptoms ease with walking but worse as day progresses. Sharp and localized pain in the arch of the foot, limping with gait. In therapy we teach individuals how to prepare the tissue for load so that more damage is not created every time you stand up. We also perform a complete leg exam to see if there are factors above the site of injury that may be contributing to the plantar fascia pain. We provide recommendations or foot wear and provide specific manual therapy interventions to reduce pain.