Plantar Fasciitis causes consistent stiffness and pain in the heel or bottom of the foot. This pain is due to inflammation in the plantar fascia which is a thick band of tissue that connects your toes to your heel bone and provides support for the arch of your foot. If this ligament is strained, it becomes swollen, weak, inflamed, and hurts whenever you stand, walk, or place pressure on your foot. Some causes for the development of Plantar Fasciitis are:

• Very High or Very Low Arches: both cause the plantar fascia to be pulled away from the heel.
• Extreme Pronation: the foot rolls inward while walking or running
• Supination: the foot rolls outward during movement
• Runners and athletes have a risk of developing this injury if they suddenly increase their mileage.
• If you have to stand on hard floors for long periods of time
• Weak Core Muscles, Tight Hip Flexors, Tight Calf Muscles, or Low Back Problems: all of these instances cause a subtle change to your stride, placing stress on the Plantar Fascia.
• Pregnancy: Many women find that the extra weight during pregnancy causes stress to the Plantar Fascia ligament.

If this ailment is bothering you, there are some things you can do to treat it and relieve the pain.