A recent Runner's World article explains that nearly15% of all running injuries strike the foot and Plantar fasciitis, small tears or inflammation of the tendons and ligaments that run from your heel to your toes, is usually the top foot complaint among runners. The pain feels like an ache or bruise on your arch or heel bottom, and it is usually worse in the morning http://www.runnersworld.co.za/injury-prevention/treatment-room/plantar-fasciitis/).

The article also summarizes who's at risk for plantar fasciitis: runners with high or low arches are especially vulnerable. Both foot types cause the plantar fascia to be stretched away from the heel bone. The article also lists other causes for developing plantar fasciitis including extreme pronation (foot rolls inward excessively) or supination (foot rolls outward excessively). While it does not discuss this explicitly, there's a condition known as "Morton's Toe" that causes extreme pronation in the foot as well http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/mortons-toe/plantarfascitiis/).

Panama City, Florida podiatrist, Dr. Burton Schuler, has practiced for over three decades and treated many patients who develop plantar fasciitis due to a "Morton's Toe," or short first metatarsal bone.

Research and excerpts from Schuler's book Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts in the Foot, are available on his websites http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/mortons-toe/plantarfascitiis/) and http://www.footcareforyou.com). According to his website: "One of the most popular activities of our time is jogging and/or running. The problem with this activity is that even with normal feet, you will sooner or later tend to have feet, shin, leg, or knee problems. From my experience, if you run over thirty miles a week, there is a good chance that even with good feet, unless you are very lucky, you will have some problems" http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/mortons-toe/jogging-and-running/).

To treat plantar fasciitis, Runner's World suggests rolling your foot over a frozen water bottle for five minutes at a time, five times a day. To stretch your plantar fascia, sit with one leg crossed over the other so that your right ankle rests on your left knee. Grab the end of your right foot at the toes and gently pull back. Because calf tightness can be a factor, a foam roller can help to loosen them up http://www.runnersworld.co.za/injury-prevention/treatment-room/plantar-fasciitis/). While stretching can help, Schuler recommends a simple toe pad placed under the first short toe, which corrects pronation and can alleviate pain caused by conditions such as plantar fasciitis http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/home/#tp).

About the Author: Dr. Burton S. Schuler foot doctor, foot specialist, podiatrist of Panama City, Fl and the director of the Ambulatory Foot Clinics Podiatric Pain Management Center and is a leading authority on the Morton's Toe, Long Second Toe and it associated problems. He is the author of the newly published book about The Morton's Toe, Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts In the Foot. The book is published by the La Luz Press, Inc and is disturbed national by the Cardinal Publishing Group. Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts In The Foot, is the story of how one bone in your foot could be the real reason for pains thru out your whole body. It is important because it offer the public new information about why millions of people suffer everyday with aches and pains, and offers new hope to get rid of problems they believed they would have to live with forever. It literally can be the "medical missing link"