Plantar Fasciitis is a common foot condition at many stages of life. It usually starts as a dull intermittent pain, and may progress to sharp persistent pain. This condition causes pain on the bottom of the heel when putting weight on the foot. The Plantar Fascia is a structure that runs from the front of the heel bone (calcaneus) to the ball of the foot. This dense strip of tissue helps to support the longitudinal arch of the foot, by acting similar to the string on a bow.
When weight bearing, a tremendous amount of force is concentrated on the plantar fascia. This can lead to stress on the plantar fascia where it attaches to the calcaneus. Inflammation and pain are the common result. Small tears of the tendon can result and are repaired by the body.
As this process of injury and repair repeats itself over and over again, a bone spur forms as the body's response to try and firmly attach the fascia to the bone. The pain makes it difficult to bear weight on the heels resulting in modified gait and reduction in activity.