Can Plantar Fasciitis Cause Knee Pain? Connection and Treatment

Can Plantar Fasciitis Cause Knee Pain?

Plantar fasciitis is a common source of heel and foot pain, but can it also lead to pain in other parts of the body like the knees? There is some evidence that plantar fasciitis can contribute to knee pain in certain situations.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis refers to inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. It connects your heel bone to your toes and supports the arch of your foot.

With plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia becomes irritated and inflamed. This typically causes stabbing heel pain that is most noticeable when getting up in the morning or after long periods of sitting.

Common Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

Some of the most common causes and risk factors for developing plantar fasciitis include:

• Repeated small injuries to the plantar fascia from overuse
• Tight calf muscles that put extra strain on the plantar fascia
• Excess weight placing pressure on the feet
• High arches or flat feet disrupting foot mechanics
• Sudden increases in activity level
• Shoes with poor arch support
• Standing or walking for long periods on hard surfaces

How Plantar Fasciitis Can Lead to Knee Pain

There are a few possible ways that plantar fasciitis can cause pain to extend up from the heel and foot into the knee area:

1. Altered Gait from Foot Pain

The sharp heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis forces you to walk differently and alters your gait pattern. Subconsciously, you may walk more on the outsides of your feet or tiptoe to avoid putting pressure on the tender plantar fascia area.

This abnormal gait can disrupt proper knee, hip, and pelvis alignment, leading to pain radiating up into the knees. It also places more strain on the muscles of the thigh and knee.

2. Tight Calf Muscles

Tight calf muscles are a common contributing cause of plantar fasciitis. They cause excessive pulling on the plantar fascia. This calf muscle tightness can also transmit forces up to the knees, resulting in knee pain.

3. Improper Foot Support

The foot inflammation and collapse of the arch from plantar fasciitis can flatten the foot. This reduces proper support and shock absorption for the rest of the body. The knees then have to compensate for these biomechanical changes, which can irritate the knee joint.

4. Inflammation Spreading

Some researchers believe that inflammation in the plantar fascia could potentially spread up the kinetic chain and create inflammation in tendons above like the hamstrings or tissues around the knee joint.

5. Referred Pain

Referred pain is when you feel pain from an injury in a body part different from the original source. Heel pain from plantar fasciitis might create referred pain that you perceive as coming from the knee area.

Signs That Plantar Fasciitis May Be Causing Your Knee Pain

Here are some clues that knee pain may be stemming from underlying plantar fasciitis:

• You also have typical plantar fasciitis symptoms like heel pain and foot arch tenderness
• Your knee pain seems to correlate with flare ups of your plantar fasciitis pain
• Stretching your calves or massaging your feet provides knee pain relief
• Your knee pain started around the same time as your plantar fasciitis
• Your knee pain gets worse the longer you are on your feet
• You dont have any signs of another knee condition causing your symptoms

Treating Knee Pain from Plantar Fasciitis

If your plantar fasciitis does seem to be causing knee discomfort, the key is to treat the underlying foot problem. This will relieve the forces traveling up the body and resolve the secondary knee pain. Treatment approaches include:

Rest and Ice

Cut back on activities that aggravate your plantar fasciitis and apply ice packs to help decrease foot inflammation and pain.

Stretching Exercises

Gently stretching your plantar fascia and calf muscles helps improve flexibility in these tight areas taking pressure off your feet.

Massage

Massaging the plantar fascia and foot arch can decrease adhesions and break up scar tissue.

Orthotics or Supportive Footwear

Inserts, splints, braces, or shoes with good arch support take strain off inflamed tissues in the feet.

NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen reduce swelling and discomfort.

Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave treatment uses pulses of sound energy to stimulate healing in the injured plantar fascia.

Night Splints

Night splints keep your foot gently flexed overnight to prevent morning heel pain and fascia tightening.

Physical Therapy

Specific PT exercises, modalities like ultrasound, and manual techniques help rehabilitate the plantar fascia.

Medical Procedures

If more conservative treatments fail, injections or surgical release of the plantar fascia may provide relief.

Exercises to Alleviate Knee Pain from Plantar Fasciitis

Certain exercises can help stretch the plantar fascia, strengthen the feet, improve gait mechanics, and reduce knee pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

Plantar Fascia Stretch

Stretching the plantar fascia itself gently elongates the tissue and decreases tension contributing to knee discomfort.

Calf Stretches

Loosening tight calf muscles through stretches like the wall calf stretch take pressure off the connections between the feet and knees.

Foot Intrinsic Exercises

Strengthening intrinsic foot muscles with toe spreads, toe curls, and marble pickups provides better foot support.

Arch Raises

Arch strengthening exercises like heel raises improve the foots shock absorption and stabilize gait mechanics.

Walking

Low-impact walking helps realign normal stride and weight distribution without overtaxing the plantar fascia and knees.

Knee Braces and Taping for Knee Pain from Plantar Fasciitis

In some cases, knee braces or taping may also help provide temporary relief from knee pain caused by plantar fasciitis. However, these should not be long-term solutions.

Knee Braces

Knee braces can help support and stabilize the joint during activity, offloading some pressure on aggravated tissues.

Kinesiology Tape

Specialized kinesiology tape applied in specific patterns could hypothetically assist muscle function around the knee.

Patella Taping

Taping around the kneecap may help with patellofemoral tracking and pain from plantar fasciitis-related gait changes.

Proper taping technique is important to experience benefits and avoid adverse effects. Consult a physical therapist or athletic trainer for guidance.

When to See a Doctor

You should contact your doctor if:

• Your knee pain persists despite focused plantar fasciitis treatment
• Your knee pain worsens or interferes with daily activities
• You develop swelling in your knee
• Your knees feel unstable or give out
• You hear clicking, crunching, or grinding from your knees

Seeking medical evaluation can determine if your symptoms are coming from another issue like arthritis, tendonitis, or an injury that requires different management.

Preventing Knee Pain from Plantar Fasciitis

To help avoid getting secondary knee pain from plantar fasciitis flare ups:

• Wear supportive shoes with good cushioning
• Stretch your calves and feet daily
• Strengthen lower extremity and core muscles
• Use orthotics if you have high arches or flat feet
• Lose weight if overweight
• Take frequent rest breaks when standing
• Listen to your body and avoid overdoing activities

Caring for your plantar fascia and maintaining proper foot and knee mechanics makes it less likely plantar fasciitis will translate into knee difficulties.

When Knee Pain Is Unrelated to Plantar Fasciitis

Its also important to note that knee pain can often occur completely independently from plantar fasciitis. Some common causes of knee pain unrelated to the feet include:

• Arthritis
• Torn meniscus
• Tendonitis
• Iliotibial band syndrome
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Bursitis
• Osgood-Schlatter disease
• Chondromalacia patella

Make sure to evaluate your full symptom history and get properly assessed by a doctor to determine the true origin of your knee discomfort.

In summary, plantar fasciitis can sometimes lead to knee pain, but not always. Pay attention to when your knee and foot symptoms occur to help decipher if they may be related. Targeting the root cause in the feet by caring for your plantar fascia provides the greatest chance of resolving pain that has spread to the knees.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.