The Relationship Between Foot Anatomy and Plantar Fasciitis: A Radiological Study

Aim: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain and significantly restricts patients’ daily activities. The disease is generally diagnosed based on clinical findings. Mechanical stress and microtraumas in the plantar fascia are thought to play a role in its etiology. Structural variations in the foot may increase the stress on the plantar fascia and contribute to the development of plantar fasciitis. This study aimed to investigate the impact of anatomical differences on the development of the disease by comparing radiological foot parameters of patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and healthy individuals. Methods: In this retrospective study, foot radiographs of 81 patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis who were treated with steroid injections and experienced symptom relief were evaluated. The control group consisted of 81 healthy individuals. All weight-bearing radiographs were obtained in dorsoplantar and lateral positions. Measurements were evaluated jointly by three orthopedic surgeons. The calcaneal inclination angle, lateral talocalcaneal angle, Kite’s angle, and hallux valgus angles were measured and compared between the two groups. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, gender, and body mass index (p>0.05). Radiological assessment revealed that only the calcaneal inclination angle was significantly lower in the plantar fasciitis group (p<0.001). No significant differences were found in the lateral talocalcaneal angle, Kite’s angle, or hallux valgus angle between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that the calcaneal inclination angle is significantly lower in individuals with plantar fasciitis. This suggests that certain anatomical variations in foot structure may predispose individuals to the development of plantar fasciitis. Although direct radiographs alone are not diagnostic, they may be helpful in identifying individuals at risk. Further studies with larger and more diverse populations are needed to better understand this relationship.