Causes of Plantar Fascia
The arch of the foot is particularly affected when a person has plantar fasciitis and the plantar fascia, which is a fibrous tissue in the foot, can become injured when a number of actions occur. These actions include overuse of the foot, wearing shoes that place a strain on the foot, being overweight and sudden injuries which result in stress or strain on the plantar fascia. Overuse of the feet is common in sporting activities where athletes are constantly moving with their feet in a repetitive manner. Over time, such repetitive movements can cause stress on the plantar fascia to build up. Eventually, this tissue tears or gives way to the pressure. Pressure from excessive weight on the feet could also overwhelm this tissue. People may damage the alignment of their feet arches and the plantar fascia tissue while standing or walking in ill-fitted shoes which abnormally stretch or compress the fibrous tissue in the feet.
To prevent the occurrence of plantar fasciitis, pay attention to footwear and shoes that place the feet in uncomfortable angles or positions. This is easily noticeable when the feet begin to suffer after wearing such shoes for some time. In addition, if a person is obese, weight loss could be advantageous in preventing plantar fasciitis or reducing the adverse symptoms associated with the condition. If the causes of plantar fasciitis are known, then the chances of preventing the condition from occurring in the first place are extremely high.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
To seek treatment for plantar fasciitis, one should understand the symptoms that could be associated with the condition. Symptoms of plantar fasciitis generally revolve around pain and such pain could be experienced at different levels. Pain from plantar fasciitis is generally situated around the foot and more specifically at the heel region. However, there can be occurrences of a radial type of pain when a person suffers from the condition and in this case the pain starts at the heel but tends to radiate out to other parts of the leg such as the toes or sides of the foot. For people who habitually use their feet, the existence of pain in that area of the body can be exacerbated by every step taken.
Due to the inflammation in the feet when a person has plantar fasciitis, there may also be itching experienced around the affected foot. People may also experience tenderness, swelling and redness around the region when plantar fasciitis is present. The more a person participates in activity with an injured plantar fascia, the more itching and pain may be experienced. If a person experiences pain at the heel or foot area and this pain occurs or is typically worse early in the morning, this type of pain may be linked to plantar fasciitis. Also, if the feet have been in a resting or non-active position for a significant amount of time and pain is felt when movement occurs after this restful state, there is a likelihood that such pain is as a result of the presence of an injured plantar fascia tissue.
