What’s Causing the President’s Foot Pain?

Dr. Jackson released the results of Obama's most recent physical on June 12. The president's overall health is "excellent," he says.

That's partly because "he works out pretty much every day and focuses on healthy lifestyle choices," Dr. Jackson adds.

What is plantar fasciitis?
The condition occurs in a thick ligament, called the plantar fascia, that tightens and supports the arch, explains Glenn B. Pfeffer, M.D.^[1], director of the Foot and Ankle Program at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedic Center in Los Angeles. (Plantar refers to the bottom of the foot, and fascia is a layer of fibrous tissue surrounding a muscle or organ.)

Picture the plantar fascia "as the gristle on the bottom of the foot that ties your heel bone and toes together," Dr. Preffer says.

When you injure this ligament, or it becomes inflamed from overuse, it pulls away from the heel, which "can be excruciatingly painful," adds Robert K. Lee, DPM, a podiatric surgeon at UCLA.

"About 85% of the time, you experience pain on your heel," he says.

Runners, athletes, overweight people and those who stand for more than 6 hours a day are most likely to develop plantar fasciitis, Dr. Pfeffer says.

If you're middle-aged – like the president at 52 – you're at greater risk.

You can also get the condition from wearing unsupportive footwear, such as flip-flops, for long periods, Dr. Lee warns.

References

1. ^{^} Glenn B. Pfeffer, M.D. (www.lifescript.com)

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