The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the front of the foot. Plantar fasciitis (PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus) is when the plantar fascia becomes inflamed (irritated and sore). Kids with plantar fasciitis often have pain on the bottom of the foot, near the heel. Exercises and home treatments can help your child feel better while they heal. Plantar fasciitis usually goes away after a few months, but sometimes it can take longer.

Help your child adjust their activity level:

• Your child should decrease or take a break from activities that cause pain or put stress on the foot, such as running, dancing, jumping, or standing for long periods of time. 
• They can gradually add activities and increase work out intensity if the activity doesn't cause pain. If it causes pain, they should stop the activity and try it again after the pain is better.

Follow your health care provider's advice for:

• Any movement exercises or stretches your child should do and any activities or sports to avoid
• Whether your child should add insoles, heel pads, or heel cups (shoe inserts that cushion the heel) to their shoes
• Helping your child keep a healthy weight to put less stress on the foot
• Whether your child should go to a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist to help them build strength and flexibility and create a plan for returning to full activities and sports
• When your child should follow up

For pain and inflammation, your child can:

• Place ice wrapped in a towel on the arch/bottom of the heel of the foot for about 20 minutes several times a day. Do not put ice directly on the skin.
• Take ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand) or naproxen (Aleve^®, Naprosyn^®, or a store brand). Follow the directions on the label for how much they should take and how often. Your child should not take this medicine for longer than about 2–3 weeks.

Other tips:

• Your child should wear well-fitted shoes or sneakers with good arch support and cushioned heels. Going barefoot, wearing flat slippers, flat shoes, or flip-flops can increase pain.
• Kids who run a lot should switch to new shoes when the old ones show signs of wear (such as a worn bottom, torn upper part, or flattened sole). Most running shoes should be replaced after 300–500 miles of running.

Your child:

• Continues to have pain after following these instructions
• Has pain that gets worse or that goes up to the back of the heel
• Has any new symptoms

What causes plantar fasciitis? It's not exactly clear what causes plantar fasciitis. It's more common in adults, but kids can get it too. Kids who get it usually are active in sports like running or dance that stress the heel over and over again. Other things that make it more likely include having flat feet, increasing training too fast, running or walking on hard surfaces (especially without shoes), and carrying extra weight.

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis? The pain usually comes on slowly and is near the heel on the bottom of the foot. The pain can sometimes go into the arch of the foot. The pain is often strongest first thing in the morning and usually feels a little better after walking for a few minutes. The pain also can be worse after standing or sitting for a long time, after exercise, or when climbing stairs.

What can help prevent plantar fasciitis? It can help to gently stretch the foot and calf before exercising, increase exercise routines slowly, avoid overtraining, lose any extra weight, and wear supportive shoes that fit well.