Risk Factors for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis remains a mysterious condition. Although the connective tissue at the bottom of each foot is subjected to a lot of daily wear, it is unknown why some people develop inflammation and others don’t. However, there are often specific factors that can be identified as increasing the risk of fascia strains. At Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates in Lorain, our podiatrists are specialists in sports medicine and offer comprehensive treatments for plantar fasciitis and other causes of foot pain, but our patients will need to do what they can to mitigate their risk factors.

Plantar fasciitis is common in distance runners, whose feet are subjected to an especially high amount of stress. It’s also seen in people whose jobs require them to be on their feet for most of the day, such as hairdressers, and in people whose shoes don’t allow them enough arch support. But people who are overweight are also at increased risk, as are people who are new to physical activity or who have recently returned to it. Researchers have noticed that people with plantar fasciitis often have tight calf muscles, suggesting that the plantar fascia is being overstretched to compensate for the heel being pulled upwards.

One bit of good news about plantar fasciitis is that it doesn’t usually appear in people who have heel spurs, so it’s probably possible to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon enough so that a heel spur won’t wear them down too much. The less good news is that plantar fasciitis is common in people with fallen arches. However, it may be possible to reinforce and arch without restoring to surgery, by making use of customized orthotics and physical therapy to strengthen the foot muscles. Patients should also make sure they are stretching their calf muscles before work-outs and giving them enough time to recover afterward.

Doctors David J. Hintz and Michael A. Wenowitz run Integrity Foot & Ankle Associates at 1740 Cooper Foster Park Road #B, Lorain, Ohio, 44053. To schedule an appointment, visit Integrity Foot and Ankle or call 440-282-1221.