Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation in the plantar fascia, which is a thick, fibrous ligament that runs from the heel to the base of the toes. Ligaments aren't meant to stretch much and when strained, either by a lot of stress for a short duration or less severe prolonged stress, the plantar fascia can overstretch and tear. Unfortunately for runners, the repititive pounding on the feet that results from high mileage often causes this.

Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis causes both the plantar fascia and surrounding tissue to become inflamed and painful. The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain on the underside of the foot, especially near the base of the heel. This pain, like many soft tissue injuries, will most likely be more painful in the morning and before running and may tend to loosen up later in the day and after runs.

Causes

At root, plantar fasciitis is caused by a stressed, tense plantar fascia and anything that leads to these conditions can cause it. Overtraining, worn out or unfitting shoes, and inflexible or tight calf muscles can cause injury to the fascia.

Treatment

Treatment need not involve taking time off, but, because it can be a sign of overtraining, a reduction in training amount should be considered. Stretching the feet and calf muscles is a good way to help prevent plantar fasciitis. Rolling your feet over a sturdy bottle or a lacrosse ball can massage and loosen up tightened muscles in the area that could be causing the problems.