The tissue on the bottom of your foot (your sole) is called the plantar fascia. It’s just beneath the skin and is actually a thick fibrous band that connects the heel bone to the toes. The plantar fascia creates the arch of your foot. When this tissue becomes swollen or inflamed, it causes sharp, stinging, burning or stabbing pain. The condition is called plantar fasciitis.
The root cause of plantar fasciitis is when swelling occurs in that thick band of tissue resulting from overstretching or overuse. This can be painful and make walking difficult, especially when your foot has been idle for some time (as after sleeping or siting a long time).
People are most likely to get plantar fasciitis if they:
Have foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches) Jog or run long distances, downhill or on uneven surfaces Are obese or gain weight suddenly Have a tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel) Usually wear shoes with poor arch support or soft soles Change their activities
Both men and women get plantar fasciitis equally and it's one of the most common orthopedic foot complaints today. Plantar fasciitis was commonly thought to be caused by a heel spur (or bone spur). However, medical research has found that this is not the case. On x-ray, heel spurs are seen in people with and without plantar fasciitis.
A proper night brace is the best treatment for plantar fasciitis pain in the morning. Wearing a night brace elevates your foot while you sleep, thereby pre-stretching the plantar fascia in your sole. The Stretch-Away Plantar Fasciitis Night Brace is the best night brace available because it gets rid of the heel pain before it even starts without being costly, complicated, or uncomfortable. And who wants to wear a boot to bed? With Stretch-Away, you wake up and take your first step in the morning without heel pain!
