Spectators flocked to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in the United States in March to catch a glimpse of the “Emperor of Golf”, Tiger Woods. Woods had just made the cut after the second round, tied for 49th place, but in the third round he began to limp badly and eventually withdrew after seven holes.
The media reported that this was the first time in his 25 Masters appearances that Woods had withdrawn during the tournament. It was a disappointment for the golfer and for the Masters organisers and fans who wanted to see him finish. Woods later announced on social media that his withdrawal was due to a flare-up of his plantar fasciitis.토토사이트
Woods’ plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick, strong band of fibres that runs from the heel bone to the front of the sole of the foot. The plantar fascia, which plays an important role in maintaining the arch of the foot and absorbing shock, becomes inflamed, making it difficult to walk.
It’s not just athletes like Tiger Woods who suffer from this condition, but it’s also very common in the general population.
According to statistics from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of people with plantar fasciitis increased from 250,000 in 2020 to 265,000 in 2021. In terms of gender, women outnumber men, and in terms of age, the highest proportion is in the 50s (26.1%), when degenerative symptoms appear in earnest.
“When mankind evolved and started walking on two feet, we were able to use our hands freely and build a glorious civilisation, but thanks to this, the plantar fascia began to be abused for more time,” said Professor Seo-Young Bae, director of the Foot and Ankle Joint Center at Sanggye Baek Hospital, Inje University. “Now that sports activities have increased and life expectancy has increased, the pain that the plantar fascia has to bear has increased even more.”
As Bae explains, plantar fasciitis is most likely to occur after a sudden increase in exercise or prolonged walking. Other causes include being overweight, trauma to the foot, flat feet, and wearing thin-soled shoes.
This condition is mostly characterised by a gradual and slow onset. The pain usually starts on the inside of the heel and travels along the plantar fascia from the bottom.
The pain is worse in the morning when you wake up or take your first few steps after sitting for a long time, and it decreases after a few steps or a few minutes. This is because the plantar fascia, which contracts when you sleep or sit, suddenly stretches when you take a step.
However, as the condition progresses, the pain becomes more widespread and occurs after a long walk.
In more than 90% of cases, plantar fasciitis is treated conservatively with rest, medication, orthotics, injections, and extracorporeal shockwaves. However, you”ll need to be patient, as the recovery period can be longer than six months.
In this case, regular stretching exercises can be very helpful. For example, you can bend your ankle gradually towards your instep while keeping your knees straight, or you can stand facing a wall, plant your feet on the floor, and push towards the wall. You can also combine this with physiotherapy, such as foot baths or massage.
If your symptoms do not improve after six months to a year of non-surgical treatment, you may want to consider a surgical procedure to remove part of the plantar fascia or remove the bone spur. However, peripheral neuritis, nerve entrapment syndrome, stress fractures of the heel bone, bursitis, and tumours of the sole of the foot can also cause heel pain similar to plantar fasciitis.
It”s important to try to prevent and manage plantar fasciitis on a daily basis. If you notice that certain exercises or physical activities are causing you to suffer from heel pain, you should try to lose weight, modify your lifestyle, and change the way you exercise. Wearing shoes with soft and thick heel pads can also help.