Plantar fasciitis
Why the first step in the morning hurts in the heel, and why the heel spur is almost never to blame.
El hueso que ves en tu radiografía casi nunca es el que te está doliendo al pisar. La fascitis inflama el tejido que sostiene tu pie; el espolón es solo una cicatriz ósea inocente.
The plantar fascia is a band of fibrous tissue that runs from the heel to the base of the toes and holds up the arch of the foot, like the taut string of a bow. When it is overloaded, its fibres pile up micro-tears and become inflamed: that is plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of heel pain in adults.
The typical symptom is a stabbing pain with the first steps in the morning, or when standing up after sitting for a while, that eases after walking a little. The heel spur sometimes seen on an X-ray is a consequence of that sustained pull, not the cause of the pain. That is why treatment is not complete rest, but specific stretching, strengthening and guided movement.
