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Plantar Fasciitis Facts

11 Plantar Fasciitis Facts

1. One in ten people will get it in their lifetime, usually between the age of 45 and 65¹. One in three of these will have it in both feet.
2. Calf tightness has been associated with plantar fasciitis².
3. Exercise is one of the treatments of choice. Hip and foot strengthening is beneficial³.
4. Thickening and degenerative tissues are found at the origin of the plantar fascia so you will see it referred to as “plantar fasciopathy” in the literature
5. Age-related degenerative changes cause reduced elasticity in the plantar fascia leaving it more prone to injury4,5,6
6. It is more common in women than in men7,8,9 .
7. If you are overweight, there is a 1.4 times increase in the likelihood you will suffer from chronic plantar fasciitis 10,11,12.
8. Heel spurs do not correlate to pain. People without pain also have spurs 13.
9. You are more likely to have plantar fasciitis if you are a runner14, in the military15, an Irish dancer¹⁶,¹⁷ or ballet dancer¹⁸.
10. If you stand all day at work you are more likely to have plantar fasciitis^19,20.
11. If you have bunions, you are more likely to suffer from chronic plantar fasciitis²¹

References

1. DeMaio, M., Paine, R., Mangine, R. E., & Drez, D. (1993). Plantar fasciitis. Orthopedics, 16(10), 1153-1163.
2. Amis, J. (2014). The gastrocnemius: a new paradigm for the human foot and ankle. Foot and ankle clinics, 19(4), 637-647.
3. Kamonseki, D. H., Gonçalves, G. A., Liu, C. Y., & Júnior, I. L. (2016). Effect of stretching with and without muscle strengthening exercises for the foot and hip in patients with plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled single-blind clinical trial. Manual therapy, 23, 76-82.
4. Scher, C. D. L., Belmont Jr, L. C. P. J., Bear, M. R., Mountcastle, S. B., Orr, J. D., & Owens, M. B. D. (2009). The incidence of plantar fasciitis in the United States military. JBJS, 91(12), 2867-2872.
5. Beeson, P. (2014). Plantar fasciopathy: revisiting the risk factors. Foot and Ankle Surgery, 20(3), 160-165.
6. Petraglia, F., Ramazzina, I., & Costantino, C. (2017). Plantar fasciitis in athletes: diagnostic and treatment strategies. A systematic review. Muscles, ligaments and tendons journal, 7(1), 107.
7. Dunn, J. E., Link, C. L., Felson, D. T., Crincoli, M. G., Keysor, J. J., & McKinlay, J. B. (2004). Prevalence of foot and ankle conditions in a multiethnic community sample of older adults. American journal of epidemiology, 159(5), 491-498.
8. Rano, J. A., Fallat, L. M., & Savoy-Moore, R. T. (2001). Correlation of heel pain with body mass index and other characteristics of heel pain. The Journal of foot and ankle surgery, 40(6), 351-356.
9. Fraser, J. J., Glaviano, N. R., & Hertel, J. (2017). Utilization of physical therapy intervention among patients with plantar fasciitis in the United States. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 47(2), 49-55.
10. Van Leeuwen, K. D. B., Rogers, J., Winzenberg, T., & van Middelkoop, M. (2016). Higher body mass index is associated with plantar fasciopathy/‘ plantar fasciitis ’: systematic review and meta-analysis of various clinical and imaging risk factors. British journal of sports medicine, 50(16), 972-981.
11. Van Leeuwen, K. D. B., Rogers, J., Winzenberg, T., & van Middelkoop, M. (2016). Higher body mass index is associated with plantar fasciopathy/‘plantar fasciitis’: systematic review and meta-analysis of various clinical and imaging risk factors. British journal of sports medicine, 50(16), 972-981.
12. Frey, C., & Zamora, J. (2007). The effects of obesity on orthopaedic foot and ankle pathology. Foot & ankle international, 28(9), 996-999.
13. Ahmad, J., Karim, A., & Daniel, J. N. (2016). Relationship and classification of plantar heel spurs in patients with plantar fasciitis. Foot & ankle international, 37(9), 994-1000.
14. Sobhani, S., Dekker, R., Postema, K., & Dijkstra, P. U. (2013). Epidemiology of ankle and foot overuse injuries in sports: a systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 23(6), 669-686.
15. Scher, C. D. L., Belmont Jr, L. C. P. J., Bear, M. R., Mountcastle, S. B., Orr, J. D., & Owens, M. B. D. (2009). The incidence of plantar fasciitis in the United States military. JBJS, 91(12), 2867-2872.
16. Noon, M., Hoch, A. Z., McNamara, L., & Schimke, J. (2010). Injury patterns in female Irish dancers. PM&R, 2(11), 1030-1034.
17. McGuinness, D., & Doody, C. (2006). The injuries of competitive Irish dancers. Journal of dance medicine & science, 10(1-2), 35-39.
18. Arendt, Y. D., & Kerschbaumer, F. (2003). Injury and overuse pattern in professional ballet dancers. Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und ihre Grenzgebiete, 141(3), 349-356.
19. Waclawski, E. R., Beach, J., Milne, A., Yacyshyn, E., & Dryden, D. M. (2015). Systematic review: plantar fasciitis and prolonged weight bearing. Occupational Medicine, 65(2), 97-106.
20. Waclawski, E. R., Beach, J., Milne, A., Yacyshyn, E., & Dryden, D. M. (2015). Systematic review: plantar fasciitis and prolonged weight bearing. Occupational Medicine, 65(2), 97-106.
21. Kitaoka, H. B., Luo, Z. P., & An, K. N. (1997). Mechanical behavior of the foot and ankle after plantar fascia release in the unstable foot. Foot & ankle international, 18(1), 8-15.

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