Health Update

Tyrone M. Reyes, M.D.

Rising in the morning, you put your feet on the floor and immediately feel a sharp pain inside your heel. Or after exercising your heel aches and swells. Or your heel hurts anytime you stand up after sitting for a while.

These pains are typical of plantar fasciitis, a common foot condition. It’s caused by the inflammation of the fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. This fibrous band of connective tissue is the plantar fascia that attaches your heel to your toe bones (see diagram). Although it’s not dangerous, plantar fasciitis can curtail your activities and alter your gait, which can cause foot, knee, and back pain.

Some other causes need to be ruled out, including pain due to a pinched nerve in your back or at the level of the ankle or foot, a stress fracture, or chronic conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis. But in most cases, pain on the bottom of the heel is due to plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia has a lot to do with supporting your foot. It acts like a shock-absorbing bowstring that supports the arch and keeps the foot from collapsing. The trouble comes if there’s too much tension placed on your foot’s “bowstring.” The result can be microscopic tears in the fibrous plantar fascia tissue, inflammation and piercing pain, or an aching or burning sensation in the heel. Usually, the problem is gradual, affecting only one foot. (more…)