Plantar Fasciitis

No two people are the same, much in the same way that no two pairs of feet are the same, so when treatment is selected for plantar fasciitis it is directed to the individual’s needs and at the Sussex Foot Centre we make every treatment bespoke to the individual.

Plantar Fasciitis (Chronic Plantar Heel Pain) is one of the main conditions we treat at the Sussex Foot Centre. The Plantar Fascia is a broad, thick band of tissue that runs from under the heel to the front of the foot. There are three bands of the plantar fascia, the middle large part and one on either side of the sole of the foot, it is the most superficial layer of the foot. Under normal circumstances, your plantar fascia acts like a shock-absorbing bowstring which supports the arch of your foot. If the tension on that bowstring becomes too great, it can create small tears in the fascia. Repetitive stretching and tearing can cause the fascia to become irritated or inflamed. Through overuse, the fascia can become inflamed and painful at its attachment to the heel bone or calcaneus. Although the condition was traditionally thought to be an inflammatory one, that is now believed to be incorrect due to the absence of inflammatory cells within the fascia.

Symptoms

Chronic Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your very first steps in the morning. Once your foot limbers up, the pain of plantar fasciitis normally decreases, but it may return after long periods of standing or after getting up from a seated position.

Causes

The cause of pain is thought to be the degeneration of the collagen fibres close to the attachment to the heel bone. Plantar fasciitis is common in sportspeople who run, dance or jump excessively. In addition to this, other risk factors for this condition include;

  • Age. Plantar Fasciitis is most common between the ages of 40 and 60.
  • Certain types of exercise. Activities that place a lot of stress on your heel and attached tissue — such as long-distance running, ballet dancing and dance aerobics — can contribute to an earlier onset of plantar fasciitis.
  • Faulty foot mechanics. Being flat-footed, having a high arch or even having an abnormal pattern of walking can adversely affect the way the weight is distributed when you’re standing and put added stress on the plantar fascia.
  • Tight Calf Muscles. Lead to prolonged or high-velocity pronation or rolling in of the foot. This in turn produces repetitive over-stretching of the plantar fascia leading to possible inflammation and thickening of the tendon. As the fascia thickens it loses flexibility and strength.
  • Footwear. Excessive walking in footwear which does not provide adequate arch support has been attributed.
  • Obesity. Excess pounds put extra stress on your plantar fascia.
  • Occupations that keep you on your feet. Factory workers, teachers and others who spend most of their work hours walking or standing on hard surfaces can damage their plantar fascia.

Although there is a lot of disagreement among researchers and clinicians alike, it is clear that plantar fasciitis is a mechanical injury which stems from overuse of the foot. It is important to ascertain exactly why there is a mechanical overuse issue. It is also significant to be aware that this can occur due to biomechanical abnormalities, anywhere from the big toe, ankle, knee, hip, and even up to the spine.

A common clinical finding, although not always the case, is in individuals who overpronate i.e. where their feet roll in or flatten too much. This can put a strain on the tissue in the foot and cause pain associated with plantar fasciitis. Individuals with the high arch foot are also at risk due to the instability present when weight bearing.

If you would like to hear more about how we treat Plantar Fasciitis or, indeed, any other conditions that we treat at the Sussex Foot Centre, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

How Can We Help?

Follow the form below to get through directly to one of our Podiatrists at the practice or to request an appointment.

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34 Sussex Road, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH16 4EA

We are trusted by our clients

Amy's been extremely helpful, informative and lovely to talk to during my foot appointment the last few visits. 100% recommend their services.
Darryl Rebbetts
Darryl Rebbetts
26/10/2022
Have had scan and chiropodist treatments and both were carried out with care and I was informed what would be done. I would highly recommend the Sussex foot centre for treatments.
Sheila Stobbs
Sheila Stobbs
15/10/2022
I was misdiagnosed by my GP after injuring myself long distance walking. Now I not only know what's wrong with me, but also how to remedy it so I can walk again. Great attention to detail. Thank you 😊
Liz Platt
Liz Platt
09/10/2022
Fantastic experience with the whole practice, there’s no where I’d trust more. Originally I went to have one issue sorted out, and have found another to be dealt with alongside. A practice where you feel listened to and taken seriously. Thanks again!
Nikki Martin
Nikki Martin
07/10/2022
Had an appointment with Jon Collins about a sore heel. Had a scan on both heels, which was followed by a detailed analysis of the results and an explanation (in layman's terms) what the issue was. Very impressed with his knowledge, how it was imparted and happy with our agreed action plan.
Jonathan Whitnall
Jonathan Whitnall
25/09/2022
Over the last 4 years or so, I have visited a number of professionals including physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths. I was experiencing recurring injuries in my left knee and hip from sports and from attempting to walk mid-distances. The pain was starting to flare in my back too. I was following the physiotherapists’ advice religiously and attending appointments regularly. However, the programme of exercises tended to make the pain worse rather than better. To add to my frustration, I was also misdiagnosed with a hip condition. In the back of my mind, I always felt there was something biomechanically incorrect in the way I move but I was reassured that was not the case until…..I booked an appointment with Jon at Sussex Foot Centre for a gait assessment. Jon quickly recognised the issue with my feet and their incorrect positioning. I was prescribed custom orthotics and after a few months of perfecting these, Jon then created my semi-permanent pair of orthotics. I have been walking further than I have done and am now back on the courts playing tennis, which I love, and never thought I would be able to do again. The whole team at Sussex Foot Centre are very helpful and efficient. My treatment is ongoing so as long as Jon is a podiatrist, I am his patient :) Thank you for everything!
Katherine Morley
Katherine Morley
22/09/2022
I had nail surgery last October and after all this time I can say it was worth it. Jon didn’t rush me into it and gave me all options available, in the end I decided to go for the surgery and Jon made it so easy and everything was explained to me before, during and afterwards. Any questions I had were always answered by Jon or one of his team and put my mind at rest (I’m a bit of a worrier). Can’t thank them enough for helping with something that I had tried to ignore for years.
Gavin Robertson
Gavin Robertson
01/09/2022
I highly recommend Sussex foot centre. I booked an appointment for the shoe insoles and Jon was very helpful and professional. He provided a great solution for me and I feel much better since I wear my new insoles. The entire team is also very nice and helpful with booking the appointments around my work schedule.
Michał Piotrowski
Michał Piotrowski
22/07/2022
After the NHS screwed up my ingrown toenail operation twice this year I decided to go private and it was the best decision. I was seen really quickly and toes healed within a couple of weeks, highly recommend sussex foot centre.
Lauryn Spink
Lauryn Spink
22/07/2022