When you pound your feet on hard surfaces playing sports or wear shoes that irritate sensitive tissues, you may develop heel pain, the most common problem affecting the foot and ankle. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk. Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who are on their feet a lot, like athletes or soldiers. It can happen in one foot or both feet. The Best Running Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis will provide: Maximum Arch Support to protect you from strenuous activity Better Shock Absorption to disperse some of the force of heel striking A Top Brand Running Shoe Manufacturer, since they will have invested lots of money into shoes that fit the first two criteria Lots of positive reviews from runners WITH plantar fasciitis. Treatment: Relieve inflammation and pain in the heel. Allow small tears in the plantar fascia ligament to heal. Improve strength and flexibility and correct foot problems such as excessive pronation so that you don t stress the plantar fascia ligament. Allow you to go back to your normal activities.