Plantar Fasciitis

Jan. 15, 2026 | Have you taken off your socks and taken a good look at your feet lately? The plantar fascia is a strong, fibrous attachment similar to a ligament that runs from your heel to the ball of your foot and your toes. It’s stretchy like a thick rubber band. The plantar fascia connects the bones in your foot together and forms the arch on the bottom of your foot. Plantar fasciitis happens when your plantar fascia is overused or stretched too far. Anything that damages your plantar fascia can make it swell. This inflammation makes it painful to walk or use your foot. Most people experience plantar fasciitis in one foot at a time, but it’s possible for it to affect both of your feet at once. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common orthopedic foot complaints, seen in both men and women of all ages. More than 2 million people in the U.S. are treated for it each year. Around 1 in 10 people will develop the condition at some point throughout their life.

Jan. 15, 2026 | The human foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and a network of nerves and blood vessels. Your feet also have more than 100 tendons and ligaments. The foot’s complexity means there’s a lot that can go wrong. Plantar fasciitis usually causes an achy pain in your heel or along the bottom of your foot. The pain can change depending on what you’re doing or the time of day. The pain can occur when you stand up after sleeping or sitting down. The pain usually goes away after walking for a few minutes. It may also be a dull, constant ache or a sharp or stabbing pain when you use your affected foot or put pressure on your heel. Exercising or moving might temporarily relieve your pain, but it’ll usually get worse as soon as you stop. You may also experience increased pain first thing in the morning or when you stand up after sitting or sleeping. Plantar fasciitis can also cause stiffness or swelling around your heel and a tight Achilles tendon.

Jan. 15, 2026 | You are most likely to develop plantar fasciitis, the swelling or inflammation of the thick band of tissue that covers the bones on the bottom of your foot, if you have both flat feet and high arches. It can also occur if you are obese or have gained a large of amount of weight in a short period of time. Exercise without stretching, wearing shoes with poor arch support or soft soles or having a tight Achilles tendon, the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel, can also lead to plantar fasciitis. As you age, the plantar fascia becomes less like a rubber band and more like a rope that doesn’t stretch as well. The fat pad on your heel becomes thinner and can’t absorb as much shock. The extra shock can damage the plantar fascia and may cause it to swell, bruise, or tear. Most people also have pain to some degree. Repeated impact on the heel, like from running, walking, or standing, also can cause plantar fasciitis.

Jan. 15, 2026 | A physical examination by a health-care professional is the first step in taking care of the condition known as plantar fasciitis. The medical professional will ask you about your symptoms and look at your foot. They might lightly press on your plantar fascia to feel for inflammation and check your level of pain. Be sure to tell the doctor or nurse about the pain you’re experiencing in your daily routine. Tell them where on your foot it hurts and when it’s the most painful throughout the day. Imaging tests such as an X-ray or ultrasound may be ordered if they think another issue or condition is causing the pain. At-home treatments and over-the-counter medications will likely be prescribed to relieve your symptoms and reduce the chances you’ll experience plantar fasciitis again in the future. These may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen and icing your foot for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day.

Jan. 15, 2026 | Most cases of plantar fasciitis go away over time. For best results, try to be consistent in your treatment approaches. It’s a good idea to wear sturdy, well-cushioned shoes and avoid wearing sandals, flip flops or other flat shoes without built-in arch support. You can add inserts into your shoes that add extra arch support. A health-care professional will suggest either pre-made inserts that you can buy over the counter or custom-made orthotics that are molded to the exact shape of your foot. The best way to prevent plantar fasciitis is to avoid overusing your feet. This means stretching before and after exercise and giving your feet time to rest and recover after intense activity or exercise. Stretch your plantar fascia in the morning before you get out of bed and don’t walk barefoot on hard surfaces. You should also replace your sneakers every six to nine months or after you’ve walked or run between 250 and 500 miles in them.