Plantar fasciitis can be extremely painful. Find out what causes the inflammation in the heel and what factors increase the risk.
The most important things at a glance
Experts speak of plantar fasciitis when there is inflammation of the so-called plantar fascia. Foot disease is considered one of the most common causes of heel pain. Typically, these are felt about five centimeters from the end of the heel in the sole of the foot.
Plantar fasciitis is common. It usually affects people between the ages of 30 and 50, with women being affected twice as often as men.
Already knew?
Plantar fasciitis is also sometimes referred to as plantar fasciitis or plantar fasciosis.
What are plantar fascia?
The plantar fascia (also: plantar aponeurosis) is a connective tissue tendon plate that lies beneath the skin and subfatty tissue in the sole of the foot and extends from the heel bone to the forefoot to the toes.
When you run, your feet are subjected to constant stress. The plantar fascia act like shock absorbers, cushioning the impact of each step from heel strike to foot roll-off, while also supporting the arch of the foot.
Plantar Fasciitis: Possible Causes
Regular overloading of the plantar fascia can cause tiny tears in the tendon plate, which eventually trigger irritation and inflammation of the tendon insertion at the heel bone. This makes itself felt in those affected by (usually one-sided) heel pain.
In principle, plantar fasciitis can occur in people of any age. When plantar fasciitis develops, however, age-related signs of wear also play a role in the causes. Because the painful inflammation develops above all over 40-year-olds.
In addition, there are various influences that promote plantar fasciitis and can be a possible cause. For example, sports that involve running and jumping can contribute to inflammation of the plantar fascia if they place undue stress on the heels. This can be the case, for example, when dancing, aerobic training or running training over longer distances.
Other factors that increase the risk of plantar fasciitis include:
- overweight
- Shortened calf muscles (e.g. due to long periods of sitting)
- Foot malpositions such as a flat foot, pes cavus or skewed foot
- different leg lengths
- Occupations that involve a lot of walking or standing
- walking on hard floors
- Shoes that do not provide adequate arch support or have a sole that is too soft
In rare cases, rheumatic diseases (such as reactive arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis) can also be the cause of plantar fasciitis. Then the inflammation typically occurs on both sides instead of on one side.
