Summer’s Coming - & So is Plantar Fasciitis
With the onset of warmer weather, We’ve seen a wave of patients coming to the clinic with foot pain, what’s that about?
It’s not uncommon for us physios to spot seasonal patterns in the injuries that we see, and lately we’ve had a wave of patients with Plantar Fasciitis (also known as Plantar Fasciopathy)
What is going on on the bottom of our feet? The plantar fascia is a band of flat connective tissue that inserts onto the medial (inside) part of the calcaneus (heel) bone. It acts as static and dynamic arch support that is under tension during the ‘toe-off’ part of our gait. That means, the support under the foot tensions when the heel is off the ground and the big toe is extended
Plantar fasciitis typically comes on slowly after a period of increased activity. We see it during this time of year as people are doing the following:
Walking around barefoot more often
Walking on sand
Commencing running
Starting their exercise routines in preparation for Summer
The hallmark is pain on the bottom of your foot near the heel when you first get out of bed. Not to be confused with Achilles tendinopathy which has similar features but is distinctly located on the back of the ankle at the bottom of your calf muscle.
So what can be done? It a notoriously persistent condition but the sooner you act the better! Do not leave it to ‘get better on it’s own’.
Most people get better with conservative treatment in 3-6 months, a small portion, about 10% need extra help to resolve their heel pain.
These are the things I see as an easy win:
Check your footwear. Thongs, sandals, dress shoes and cool sneakers usually do NOT have the appropriate support for this condition
Wear shoes at home all the time for a few weeks
Use ice and/or roll the bottom of your foot with a ball (steer clear of the sore heel, work along the arch of the foot)
Pull back, just a bit, on the walking and running but don’t stop completely
Get advice on foot and leg strengthening and stretching from your physio
Buchanan BK, Sina RE, Kushner D. Plantar Fasciitis. [Updated 2024 Jan 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431073/