Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that effects the bottom of the foot and there are some things you should do and some you shouldn’t. Around 1 in 10 people will develop plantar fasciitis at sometime in there life. It’s common in people over 40 years old but can occur in younger people and more likely to occur in women than men.

Plantar fasciitis can be confused with policeman heel, but they are different. Policeman heel is an inflammation of the sack of fluid under the heel bone, this isn’t as common as plantar fasciitis.

What are the symptoms? 

Pain on the underside of the heel, it can be experience anywhere however one spot is normally found to be the source, which is about 4cm forward from the front of the heel. Plantar fasciitis pain is normally worse during your first few steps in the morning or any time of long rest. As well as this long walks or periods of being on your feet for a long time can also make the pain worse. Often there is no specific one cause, it comes on due to wear, tear and misuse.

How long can it take to recover?

Most people can recover within a year, some shorter and some longer. The main goal is to be patient and take your time while recovering. If you start exercise too soon or over-stress your foot it can set you back and your recovery can take longer.

Video 1

During this video you’ll better understand

• What plantar fasciitis is
• What the plantar fascia is
• The importance of the plantar fascia to the foot
• How it help improve your exercise and activity

Video 2

During this video you’ll learn more about

• What causes plantar fasciitis
• Ways of overcoming it
• New habits that can minimise your risk of it happening in the future