If you are suffering from plantar fasciitis and it’s keeping you from having a productive and enjoyable life, you’re not alone. Health authorities confirm that this common foot condition tends to affect 1 in 10 people at some point during his or her lifetime. As a matter of fact, in the US alone over 2 million people receive treatment for plantar fasciitis.

Are you wondering what causes plantar fasciitis? Then don’t stop reading now — below you will come across the reasons why you are being bugged by heel pain associated with it.

Lifestyle is a Major Cause

sitting in front of computer for hoursDon’t be surprised why you are suffering from plantar fasciitis if your work requires you to stand or walk for long periods of time. That’s because it’s something that can wreak havoc on the plantar fascia, which is a massive band of tissue that connects your heel to the front part of your foot.

Just because your work entails sitting behind an office desk or in front of a computer for hours on end doesn’t mean that you are impervious to plantar fasciitis. If truth be told, the kind of work you have causes you to lead a sedentary lifestyle, and in the medical community being sedentary is a culprit behind plantar fasciitis.

We all know that athletes are some of the healthiest people on the face of the planet. Sadly, a lot of them are in fact being bugged by plantar fasciitis — various sports are simply too harsh on the plantar fascia.

Age is Not Just a Number

athlete runningDespite what most people believe, age is not just a number. That’s because it’s something that can have a considerable impact on a person’s overall mental and physical wellness.

According to health authorities, the older you get the more susceptible you are to ending up with plantar fasciitis and the dull or sharp pain that it usually brings. You can put the blame on the fact that aging causes your plantar fascia to become stiff rather than supple and flexible.

Once your plantar fascia is acting more like a rope than a rubber band, then it’s no longer capable of absorbing as much of the shock to your feet that is brought about by prolonged standing or walking, too much running and jumping repeatedly. People between 40 and 60 years of age are more prone to plantar fasciitis than younger ones.

Some Conditions are Causes, Too

rheumatoid arthritisIn some instances, it’s not your lifestyle or age that can be blamed for the presence of plantar fasciitis. If you are suffering from an inflammatory condition, which is a health-related issue that causes inflammation to happen inside the body for extended periods of time, then it may be the one that’s causing your foot pain.

Were you diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis by your doctor? Chances are it’s the reason why you have plantar fasciitis as it can cause inflammation of the foot joints which can have an unfavorable effect on your plantar fascia.

Rheumatoid arthritis is just one type of arthritis — there are actually more than 100 different types of it! You may also suffer from plantar fasciitis if you have a different form of arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis or reactive arthritis. Many other inflammatory conditions, such as fibromyalgia, can also cause the foot condition.

The Takeaway

There are different causes of plantar fasciitis. It’s important to identify which one is the reason for your bout of it so that your doctor may be able to provide you with the right treatment and management plan.