As we continue our Tour of the Foot, this month we look at an invisible but very important part of your foot: the plantar ligaments. If your plantar ligaments are healthy and functioning correctly, you might never know they were there; as soon as they succumb to conditions like plantar fasciitis, though, you’re all too aware of them – excruciatingly so. But let’s look at what the plantar ligaments are and how they work.
What Plantar Ligaments Do
Your plantar ligaments run along the bottom of your foot and connect the different bones to help stabilize the entire foot. There are over half a dozen ligaments in the bottom of the foot, but when we talk about “plantar ligaments,” usually we’re referring to the long plantar ligament, which is the largest and outer most one that connects the heel and the ball of your foot.
The plantar ligaments support the arch of your foot and help reduce stress on the heel and ball, which are the two main points of contact when standing or walking. They help distribute the impact from each step to avoid damaging the individual bones of your foot.
Plantar Ligament Problems
Like any ligament or tendon, traumatic impacts can injure the plantar ligaments and require medical intervention. One relatively common and much more mysterious plantar ligament ailment, though, is plantar fasciitis.This is a connective tissue disorder that causes acute pain in the heel and sole of the foot; it can be extremely painful and make walking difficult, if not impossible. It’s unclear what causes plantar fasciitis, but some risk factors include frequent running, high arches, flat feet, and standing on hard surfaces for long periods. Obesity also seems to increase the risk of plantar fasciitis.
The good news, though, is many Z-Coil customer testimonials mention plantar fasciitis specifically – and in particular, how much Z-CoiL footwear has done to relieve plantar fasciitis pain.
Protect Your Plantar Ligaments
Preventing ligament injuries and painful conditions like plantar fasciitis is important, especially if you are on your feet all day or highly active – whether it’s running, playing sports, or hitting the gym. Stretching and strengthening exercises are always a good idea, but wearing the right footwear is another effective strategy. Z-CoiLs are specifically designed to cushion and support the entire foot, reducing strain and stress on the plantar ligaments to not only alleviate plantar fasciitis symptoms, but help prevent its occurrence in the first place.
Don’t wait until those plantar ligaments are too painful to ignore: take care of them with a pair of comfortable supportive shoes from Z-CoiL!
