Plantar fasciitis refers to pain in your heel at the point where the plantar fascia joins your heel bone. Your plantar fascia is a strong band of connective tissue (like a ligament) that stretches from your heel to the bones in the middle of your foot. The plantar fascia supports the arch of your foot and also acts as a shock-absorber during walking.
The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain on the underside of your heel, and it is normally worse when taking your first few steps in the morning, or after resting for a long period. Plantar fasciitis may be triggered by a sudden increase in walking or standing, by a change in running surface or sudden increase in running distance or by a change in footwear. Sometimes it may develop with no obvious trigger.
Your physiotherapist will assess your foot position, muscle strength and length, and suggest a course of treatment to ease your symptoms and address any causative factors. This may include stretches, footwear advice or orthotics, taping and strengthening exercises.
