The Science of Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Spurs
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue supporting your foot arch. With plantar fasciitis, this tissue develops small tears and becomes thickened. It's not true inflammation but rather degeneration of the tissue. Contributing factors include calf tightness, foot mechanics, and sudden changes in activity levels. The fascia is particularly vulnerable where it attaches to the heel bone. Plantar fasciitis often develops alongside or contributes to other lower leg conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy, as both conditions share biomechanical contributors including calf tightness and altered foot mechanics. Previous ankle sprains may also predispose to plantar fasciitis by altering normal foot mechanics and loading patterns.
Contributing Factors
Several biomechanical factors can contribute to plantar fasciitis development. Tight calf muscles limit ankle flexibility, increasing stress on the plantar fascia. Altered foot mechanics like excessive pronation or high arches change how forces distribute through your foot.
Sudden increases in activity, changes in footwear, or prolonged standing on hard surfaces can overload the tissue. Body weight also influences the load on your feet - each pound of body weight translates to about 3-4 pounds of force through the plantar fascia during walking.