Plantar Fasciitis's more common name heel spur may create the impression of a sharp bony projection on the bottom of the heel that pokes the bottom of our foot causing our pain. Painful Plantar Fasciitis are actually a result of damage to the soft tissue at the bottom of the foot. While this may be confusing, we'll try to explain.
Plantar fasciitis is a location oriented term that refers to the bottom of the foot(i.e. plantar warts). Fascia is a tough, inelastic band. 'itis'is a term used to describe something that is inflamed (i.e. tendonitis, bursitis).
Fascia tissue is located throughout the body, usually providing support to the musculoskeletal system, providing rigidity, much like guide wires support a cell phone tower. Together with ligaments and tendons, fascia allows our body system that allows us to be mobile. Plantar fascia (foot fascia) originates on the base of the heel and runs across the arch of the toes. The primary function of the plantar fascia is to support the arch of the foot.
Plantar fasciitis is a form of repetitive stress injury. While supporting the load, the fascia creates tiny microscopic tears in the tissue. This is completely normal, In a healthy foot, the foot is able to repair itself at a greater rate than the damage it absorbs. As long as the amount of damage is lower than the body's ability to heal itself, the foot will remain healthy. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the sum total of damage is larger than the amount of healing the body can perform in a day. The foot is used so much in the course of the day that once the amount of damage exceeds the body's ability to repair itself, the pain will tend to persist.
To simplify this, the foot pain you feel when you get up in the morning exists because you caused more damage yesterday than your body could heal last night as your slept.
Sore throat...body aches, etc..
