The plantar fascia is a thick, broad, band of fibrous tissue that courses along the bottom (plantar surface) of the foot. It is attached to the heel bone (calcaneus) and fans out to attach to the bottom of the metatarsal bones in the region of the ball of the foot. Because the normal foot has an arch, this tight band of tissue (plantar fascia) is at the base of the arch. In this position, the plantar fascia acts like a bowstring to maintain the arch of the foot.

Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory condition caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia of the foot . The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel , and is often most intense with the first steps of the day. It is commonly associated with long periods of weight bearing. Obesity , weight gain, jobs that require a lot of walking on hard surfaces, shoes with little or no arch support, and inactivity are also associated with the condition. This condition often results in a heel spur on the calcaneus , in which case it is the underlying condition, and not the spur itself, which produces the pain.

Treatment Overview

The goals of wearing orthotics to treat plantar fasciitis are to:

Relieve inflammation and pain in the heel. Allow small tears in the plantar fascia ligament to heal.

Improve strength and flexibility and correct foot problems such as pronation so that you don't stress the plantar fascia ligament.

Allow you to resume your normal activities.

About 8 in 10 people recover completely within a year. Out of 100 people with plantar fasciitis, about 95 are able to relieve their heel pain with nonsurgical treatments such as custom made orthotics; only about 5 in 100 need surgery.

To prevent the recurrence of Plantar Fasciitis symptoms after treatment, proper fitting footwear is essential.