Are you at risk of developing plantar fasciitis?

"The plantar fascia is a thick piece of gristle or fascia on the bottom of the heel that acts as a support of the tie-rod of the arch. The main point of insertion of this structure, the plantar fascis, is at the inside bottom part of the heel." - Dr. Meredith Warner

We have shared who is more likely to develop plantar fasciitis and how to reduce pain below:

Runners

For runners, plantar fasciitis can be caused by a variety of things, including a drastic or sudden increase in mileage, bad shoes, or poor foot structure. These influences can overload the plantar fascia and create the perfect environment for plantar fasciitis to form. To the eye, the plantar fascia may look like a series of rubber bands. However, the ligament is made of collagen and a rigid protein that isn’t very stretchy. Overuse stress can cause tiny tears in the plantar fascia over time and will eventually develop into plantar fasciitis. Here are a few running habits that may lead to plantar fasciitis:

• Sudden increases in training mileage
• Wearing worn out running shoes
• Beginning speedwork
• Running on hard surfaces
• Wearing high heels throughout the day, then switching into running shoes

Middle-aged People

Years of bad habits add up! Plantar fasciitis is very common among middle-aged people, especially women. Decades of wearing high heels, sandals or flip-flops stress the muscles in the feet; including the plantar fascia. Years of stress will strain and damage the plantar fascia, and will ultimately lead to plantar fasciitis. Middle-aged women are disproportionally affected by plantar fasciitis because of hormone changes caused by menopause, which often causes a thinning of the fat layer of the sole.

Overweight People

Studies show over 90 percent of individuals who report heel pain are overweight. Excess weight places additional stress on the plantar fascia. Over time, the strain will cause small tears in the ligament and plantar fasciitis symptoms will develop. Luckily, the symptoms of plantar fasciitis can be reduced with proper treatment and weight loss.

"It doesn’t matter what gender you are, doesn’t matter what race you are, it doesn’t matter what your occupation is. Heel pain effects athletes, and it effects nonathletes, desk workers and plant workers." - Dr. Meredith Warner

The Healing Sole: A Solution to Your Pain

Sliding your feet into The Healing Sole first thing in the morning encourages healing and recovery. With your first step, The Healing Sole gently stretches the plantar fascia. As your foot pushes off, the rocker bottom sole sways to reduce tension. When your foot meets the ground again, the compressible heel and raised arch absorb the weight of the body. Soft neoprene straps help to hold your foot in place as you move. We equipped the latest version of The Healing Sole with a durable outsole. Now our flip-flops last even longer and can support extended outdoor wear!

Clinically Proven to Work: 80% of patients in the clinical trial reported an improvement in pain and/or function.