Although there are no concrete numbers for the prevalence of plantar fasciitis in the general population we do know it accounts for ~10% of all running based injuries and 10-15% of all foot based conditions that require medical care.
As this is primarily an overuse injury caused by repetitive strain on the plantar fascia either by extended time on ones feet or increased running/sporting activities, it may also present following trauma.
What to do if you’re just starting to feel some heel pain?
- Stop running/walking
- Typically this issue is not one you can just “run out” and will usually require some type of intervention whether it is as simple as monitoring and altering the load you are putting through your feet, changes in foot wear or addressing strength inadequacies
- Ice/stretch foot and calf
- Although there is rarely an inflammatory component related to Plantar fasciitis, ice is excellent in managing acute pain. While stretching through your foot and calf will be a core component to your rehabilitation plan so the quicker you start the better
- Seek medical advice
- An assessment by your Physiotherapist or Podiatrist is the best place to start. They will assess foot strength, posture, shoe suitability, load management and will start you on the process back to full health
- BE PATIENT
- Definitely not the easiest thing on the list, but stick with the program and follow the advice given as this issue is known to be a trick one that can hang around for many months even with the best of care
Buchanan BK, Kushner D. Plantar Fasciitis. [Updated 2022 Feb 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431073/
