Definition
If one suffers from tendon inflammation in the area of the sole of the foot, this corresponds in most cases to an inflammation of the tendon plate, one speaks of a so-called “plantar fasciitis”. The tendon plate is located on the underside of the foot and stabilizes the arch of the foot under stress. It can be imagined as an interwoven carpet of many individual tendons. The inflammation can affect the entire tendon plate or only parts of it. This results in different degrees of severity of the disease.
Causes
The causes of tendon inflammation on the sole of the foot are manifold. On the one hand, the foot, which only has a relatively small contact surface, has to bear the entire weight of the human body every day. In addition, the respective strain caused by regular sporting activities places particular stress on the small tendons of the foot.
This phenomenon is often observed in runners who prepare for very long distances such as a marathon. Even with rather untrained beginners, strain-induced tendon inflammation can occur if training is started or increased too quickly and the body has no chance to get used to the increasing extra work. An important risk factor for the development of tendonitis in the foot is, in addition to training habits, an existing foot malposition.
For example, a flat or bent foot is accompanied by a foot arch that does not function optimally, which leads to increased strain on both tendons and muscles and joints. An incorrect strain on muscles of the rest of the leg (calf and/or thigh muscles), which shorten over time and thus increase the tension on the tendon plate of the foot, can also result in tendonitis of the tendon plate. Last but not least, the causes of tendon inflammation of the sole of the foot should also include incorrect or poor footwear (especially jogging shoes). For example, if a shoe is worn too long, it loses its resilient properties, which is tantamount to increasing strain on the tendons of the foot and can thus promote inflammation.
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