Plantar Fasciitis So Bad I Can’t Walk is a repetitive stress injury to the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot. The fascia runs from the heel toward the toes and helps support the body weight. Standing, running, or jumping increases the force and strain on the plantar fascia. Performing these motions causes more injury.

What are the symptoms?

Plantar Fasciitis is characterized by sharp stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot, often experienced with the first step out of bed in the morning. The pain will gradually decrease in several minutes but will frequently return after standing or sitting for long periods of time. Generally speaking, one feels tenderness on the inside of the heel and swelling on the bottom of the foot. The pain will disappear during activity but quickly returns afterwards.

It tends to take months to heal because of continual aggravation from standing and walking every day. It is hard to avoid standing, especially with some careers. Some professions require continuous standing, which tends to produce slow recovery and a tendency for long term problems. It is not uncommon for plantar fasciitis to affect people for 3 to 9 months.

What are the causes and risk factors?

Plantar Fasciitis is common in people who are physically active or spend significant time on their feet. Runners and joggers are prone to plantar fasciitis, especially if they have recently increased their running mileage or intensity. It is very common for salesman and nurses who spend long hours walking on hard floors.

Worn out shoes and bad shoes do not absorb pounding and stress like quality shoes. This results in increased physical stress on the plantar fascia, leading to injury. In Arizona, sandals and flip flops often aggravate plantar fasciitis.

Improper foot mechanics, over-pronation, high arches, flat feet, or poor walking mechanics can increase the stress on the plantar fascia leading to damage and continually aggravating plantar fasciitis.

It is more common in middle aged people, as years of wear and tear on the body begin to show. As we begin to carry a few extra pounds later in life, this further increases the stress on the fascia.