Dr. Lee Miller Injury Prevention & Treatment Information for Runners

1. What is it?

The plantar fascia is a band of fibrous tissue at the bottom of the foot extending from the heel to the ball of the foot. This structure plays a major role in supporting the arch and preventing the foot from collapsing under the weight of the body. When this structure is injured, it is generally an overuse injury resulting from microtearing and micro rupture of the tissue.

2. What are the causes/predisposing factors of injury?

The causes of plantar fascitis are varied and range from overpronation and oversupination to running too much on the toes. Other factors that may predispose you to injury are running on hard surfaces, not enough cushioning in the shoes and too much speed or hill training.

3. What are the symptoms?

This injury tends to feel like a heel bruise, and usually presents with tenderness along the bottom of the foot. A certain amount of swelling or even a small lump may be associated with the painful area. Generally speaking, this injury tends to be more painful first thing in the morning.

4. What can be done to prevent or treat this injury?

Prevention of this injury is targeted at stretching and strengthening the muscles in and around the foot and reducing the stress on the plantar fascia. Some good prevention routines call for calf muscle stretches along the toe flexor and toe extensor exercises. As well, proper shoes and running on softer surfaces can help prevent injury in many cases.

If you already have this injury, run on softer surfaces and use well-cushioned shoes. Also, icing the area of pain after each run can help speed recovery. If the injury persists, cut back your training. Additional therapies such as fascial strapping, warm whirlpool baths, anti-inflammatory medication, ultrasound and orthotics (to correct biomechanical problems) can be used to treat this condition.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 1st, 2004 at 7:03 am and is filed under running(t) . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.