Plantar Fasciitis among Nigerians

S.A. Oguntona* and O. O. Ogunsemi

Department of Medicine, Olabisi Onabanjo University teaching hospital, Sagamu. Ogun State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: oguntonasa@yahoo.com; Mobile: +2348035534449

Accepted 27 March, 2013

Abstract

Plantar fasciitis is a common pathological condition of the foot. It causes heel pain in active as well as sedentary adults of all ages. It is a disorder of degenerative changes in the fascia. The condition is more likely to occur in persons who are obese or in those who are on their feet most of the day.  The study populations were those who presented at the rheumatology clinic with heel pain. The study was carried out over three and a half years. 20 patients were seen over three and a half years spanning between July 2009 and December 2012. There were 7 (35 %) men and 13 (65 %) women with a male to female ratio of 1: 1.9.  6 (30 %) patients were obese, 4 (20 %) overweight, and 10 (50 %) were of normal weight. 18 (90%) had one foot affected and 2 (10 %) had both feet affected. Most of our patients benefited from conservative management. Plantar fasciitis is relatively common in the society. Women were more affected in this study, and conservative method of treatment achieved a good result.This result however may not be a good representation of what obtains in the society because it was a hospital based study.

Keywords: Plantar fasciitis, Rheumatology clinic, Nigeria.