SEOUL, South Korea (Yonhap) – The Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in the U.S. in March drew a cloud of spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the “Emperor of Golf,” Tiger Woods. Woods made the cut in the second round, tied for 49th place, but in the third round, he began limping 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The media reported that this was the first time in his 25 Masters appearances that Woods had withdrawn during the tournament.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 athlete, the Masters organizers, and the 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.
Woods’ plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick, strong band of fibers 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 Organization, 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 civilization, but thanks to this, the plantar fascia began to be abused for a longer period of time,” said Professor Seo-Young Bae, director of the Foot and Ankle Center at Sanggye Baek Hospital, Inje University.
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 plantar region, flat feet, and wearing thin-soled shoes.
This condition is mostly characterized 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 even 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 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 and push your feet towards it while keeping the soles of your feet on the floor. You can also combine this process with physical therapy, such as foot baths or massage.먹튀검증
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 tumors 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 your heel pain increases or worsens with certain sports or physical activities, 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.