Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. Symptoms are often described as a sharp or stabbing pain, especially with first steps out of bed in the morning or after a period of inactivity. There are numerous causes, which your Podiatrist will try to identify during your appointment, so as to provide appropriate treatment and preventative measures.

What is the Plantar Fascia?

A strong, fibrous band that originates at the bottom of the heel and extends all the way out to the toes. It functions to support the arch of the foot, and absorb some of the shock of walking and standing. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of this band of tissue where it attached on the bottom of the heel bone, typically caused by overuse or strain, and aggravated by tight calf muscles and a tight plantar fascia.

Treatment: A Focus on Stretching

If you have already seen a Podiatrist, or did any research on this diagnosis at home, you have likely been told that stretching is key for treatment and prevention. Having endured plantar fasciitis myself, I understand the time and effort required to do these stretches at the recommended frequency and duration. I find that I am always more motivated to do this sort of “homework” if I am informed on the importance of doing it, and how exactly it is getting me back to being pain-free.

Stretching is typically focused on 2 structures: the calf muscles (back of the leg), and the plantar fascia (bottom of the foot) itself.

Calf muscles: the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles make up what we call the “calf muscles”. They conjoin farther down in the leg to form the Achilles Tendon, which attaches to the back of the heel. The Achilles tendon is connected to the plantar fascia by a series of collagenous structures, and therefore, tension in the Achilles tendon is directly related to tension in the plantar fascia. It is key to stretch these calf muscles and Achilles tendon, to decrease tension in the plantar fascia, and thereby reduce inflammation and strain at the heel bone.

Plantar fascia: stretching (and manual massage) of the plantar fascia directly reduces tension on the heel bone, and therefore inflammation and strain. Basically, if you think about the calf muscles, Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia as a thick, strong rope, then the pain you are experiencing in your heel is due to this rope pulling too hard on the heel bone. If we can create some slack on the rope by stretching these muscles/tendon/fascia, then we can take tension off the heel bone, allowing the inflammation to resolve and the body’s healing process to take place.

Which Stretches? How Often? And for How Long?

If you are unsure of what stretches to do, how often to do them, and for how long, I encourage you to reach out to your Podiatrist for evaluation and treatment recommendations tailored to your specific circumstances and anatomy.