Plantar fasciitis: A review of literature

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is one of the most common causes of inferior heel pain managed by many physical therapists in a variety of clinical settings and wildly treated conservatively and it is usually caused by a biomechanical imbalance resulting in tension along the plantar fascia. It is estimated that 11-15% of all foot complaints requiring medical attention can be attributed to this condition. In general, the patient presents with inferior heel pain on weight bearing. Pain associated with PF may be throbbing, searing, or piercing, especially with the first few steps in the morning or after periods of inactivity. This article presents on overview of the current knowledge on PF and focuses on biomechanics, etiology, diagnosis and treatment strategies, conservative treatment including the physical therapy management are discussed. This information should assist health care practitioners who treat patients with this disorder.