CMS Education Articles — Night Splint

Understanding Plantar Fasciitis and what to do.

At the time that I am writing this summer is coming to an end.  September is about to start. Kids and parents are gearing up to get back from work.  And there is a chance that your heel still hurts.  Especially when you get out of bed in the morning.  Most likely you, like many other people, have developed a case of plantar fasciitis over your holidays.

What is plantar fasciitis?  In short, you’ve injured a big band of tissue on the bottom of your foot that attaches to bone right at the heel on the bottom of your foot.  Now I hear you saying “but I don’t remember doing anything, I just woke up and it hurt.”  And in many respects, you’re right.  Plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury.  What that means is that you repeatedly put too much strain of your plantar fascia tissues.  Walking on soft unstable surfaces, such as sand, in bare feet can cause this.  Conversely, walking on harder surfaces like decks or sidewalks in loose supportive footwear, such as flip flops, can be another overuse producing situation.