Clinical and biomechanical risk factors for plantar fasciitis in athletes

BACKGROUND: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot and ankle pain in athletes. Identifying the main risk factors for the disease will allow an individualised approach to both therapeutic and preventive measures in the sports contingent. AIM: To determine the clinical and biomechanical risk factors for plantar fasciitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 130 athletes from various sports. The athletes were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of athletes with plantar fasciitis, and group 2 was the control group, consisting of athletes without plantar fasciitis. The assessment included key anthropometric, orthopedic, morphological, and biomechanical indicators. RESULTS: There was a slight tendency for females to develop plantar fasciitis more frequently. Athletes with plantar fasciitis were more likely to have flat feet (p 0.05), tension and soreness of the posterior tibial muscles (p 0.05), less ankle dorsiflexion (p 0.001), more pronation of the foot (p 0.001) and greater thickness of the plantar aponeurosis. The baropodometric test showed a decrease or, on the contrary, an increase in the plantar pressure of the hindfoot, depending on the severity of the pain syndrome (p=0.004). Dynamic tests showed signs of postural imbalance. CONCLUSION: Assessing the risk factors for plantar fasciitis in athletes will not only allow us to optimise therapeutic measures, but also to develop personalised preventive programmes, taking into account the main predictors of the disease, which will make possible to reduce the prevalence of the pathology.