Association of plantar fascia thickness and different variables in individuals without heel pain

Background

Plantar fasciopathy is a common condition described as a combination of degeneration and inflammation of the collagenous tissue. The diagnosis is typically based on medical history, local findings, and ultrasound to assess the thickness of the fascia, where a plantar fascia thickness of 4 mm or more confirms the diagnosis. However, other factors besides plantar fasciopathy may be associated with the thickness of the plantar fascia. This study aims to investigate which characteristics, including foot length, physical activity level, and primary physical activity, are associated with the thickness of the plantar fascia in individuals without a history of heel pain.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study and used multiple linear regression to investigate the association between the thickness of the fascia examined with diagnostic ultrasound and the characteristics of the participants. The included characteristics were foot length, physical activity level, primary physical activity, body weight, height, BMI, age, and sex.

Results

201 participants were included in the study. Age and height were associated with plantar fascia thickness. With a one-year increase in age, the plantar fascia increases by 0.008 mm (P < 0.001), and for every cm increase in height, the thickness of the plantar fascia increases 0.011 mm (P = 0.003).

Conclusion

Age and height were significantly associated with plantar fascia thickness, but had small coefficients. Foot length, physical activity level, and primary physical activity were not associated with plantar fascia thickness. Level III of evidence, cross-sectional study.