Plantar fasciitis or inflammation of the plantar fascia occurs when the plantar fascia develops small tears at the point where it joins to the heel bone, or along the ligament itself. With poor biomechanics, too much use or the presence of other triggers, the force applied to the plantar fascia during the process of walking and running and the shift of body weight from one foot to the other can rip the fascia from and result in microscopic tears.

More than 2.5 million new cases of plantar fasciitis are counted each year.

Wearing good shoes at all times is very important in treating plantar fasciitis and avoiding it in the first place. Sometimes wearing badly fitting or constructed shoes can lead to plantar fasciitis. Try not to walk barefoot or wearing flip-flops as the lack of cushioning for the heel can damage the plantar fascia. The best shoes for treating plantar fasciitis should have low heels (for ladies, try to avoid any heels over 3 inches), good cushioning in the sole, and soft arch support. Some shoes tend to lack sufficient cushioning, particularly at the heelbone and front foot, and don't permit adequate structural support along the arch and mid-foot. With improved cushioning and support provided by good shoes, the stress on the heel and along the foot during exercise can be significantly reduced, helping to prevent plantar fasciitis.

The fit of a shoe is critical. Wearing shoes that are too small is likely to aggravate the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. When choosing shoes or trying on shoes that have been purchased and delivered online, patients should ensure they do so late in the day. This is because as the day progresses, feet swell and become slightly bigger than at the start of the day. Also, it is common for people to have one foot that is slightly wider than the other. If so, patients should check the fit based on how the larger foot feels. It is better for shoes to be slightly too large than vice versa.

When trying on shoes, focus on the padding and support for the bottom of the foot, heel, and front of your feet. Shoes should obviously feel comfortable and there should be no points of pressure on any one part of the foot. Choose shoes with a slightly broader toe area to reduce any problems with bunions or other toe conditions.

Running shoes that fit well and give good support are perfect. Running shoes need to be replaced frequently as the innersoles lose their cushioning over time. If you examine a pair of new running shoes and compare them to your worn pair you will easily tell the difference in support and padding supplied by the brand new pair. Exchanging your athletic shoes is a really effective investment for combating plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis shoes have treatments built into the insole of the shoe, letting you treat the injury without requiring special insoles.

Some shoes have specific devices which apply the perfect amount of pressure to the plantar fascia, stretching it optimally and cutting pain and inflammation. Furthermore, plantar fasciitis shoes are designed to incorporate structural support surrounding the heel to protect it from any worse damage.

Catching plantar fasciitis early and a detailed treatment system are key for healing plantar fasciitis. If treatment is delayed or deficient in the initial stages of plantar fasciitis, the condition can take up to eighteen months or more to be fully treated. However by following a suitably detailed treatment system and fusing some of the individual treatments available, luckily in most cases, non-surgical treatment results in a full recovery. Only in the worst cases is invasive plantar fasciitis surgery required.

It can take several months for symptoms to vanish and the plantar fascia to be completely healed. Remember that a torn ligament (even microscopic tears) only occurs following recurring and extended tension and to fix this, long-term treatment and rest is required. Also, the longer the condition has existed and the worse the pain, the longer the treatment schedule.

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