Plantar fasciitis, which represents inflammation of the plantar fascia, is one of the most common causes that cause pain in the heel, especially in the morning. The heel is an area of the body extremely used, because at this level a continuous pressure is exerted, both during walking and during prolonged standing or carrying out various daily activities.

Plantar fasciitis is easy to recognize, being accompanied by pain in the heel area in the morning after waking up, when performing the first steps. This condition is frequently encountered, among the risk factors involved in its occurrence are: obesity, physical activities that overload the heel area and inappropriate footwear that exerts pressure in this area .

The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that stretches from the level of the fingers to the bone of the heel (calcaneus), which connects and also forms the arch of the foot (the hollow on the internal side of the foot).

When the plantar fascia becomes too tense, it can pull the heel bone causing pain and inflammation.

Thus, walking, running and standing will be accompanied by pain in the heel.

The most common plantar fasciitis affects:

➢ athletes/persons who run
➢ people who have a flat foot or the arch of the foot highthen
➢ overweight people
➢ people who spend a lot of time standing
➢ people between the ages of 40 and 60.
Recovery of the plantar fascia can take up to 6-12 months.

Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs help relieve pain and inflammation, but are recommended for short periods of time, 7-14 days maximum.

Avoid loading the affected leg (do not leave body weight on the leg). If possible, walking will be carried out with the help of crutches until the inflammation decreases.

Locally applied ice, in sessions of 10-15 minutes 3-5 times/day, helps significantly reduce inflammation. Always put a thin towel between the ice and the area on which it is applied. Another way of carrying out cryotherapy is to immerse the affected leg (or just the heel), in a bowl filled with water and ice, for 10-15 minutes, 3-5 times a day.

Stretching exercises of the calf muscles, Achilles tendon and soles of the foot help destress the plantar fascia. Active exercises that involve both the foot and the ankle increase stability at this level. Self-massage with the help of a golf ball or squash (rolling the sole on the ball) also helps to reduce the tension in the plantar fascia.

If there is a tendency to sleep with the tips of the legs stretched, the plantar fascia may shorten. Wearing some splints at night, which will keep the leg straight (with the tip raised), helps to stretch the plantar fascia. They will be worn during the period when the pain is present.

Footwear has an important role in both prevention and treatment of plantar fasciitis. First of all, it is not recommended to wear worn shoes (which have part of the sole blunted). In order to speed up the recovery process, one can opt for some personalized shoes pads inside the shoes (adapted to the individual needs) or some pads for the heels. These pads lift the heel to ease the tension, but often they don't work as well as the custom sole pads.