Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that causes pain in the heel, across the sole of the foot and sometimes into the arch area of the foot too.   It is caused by repetitive strain to the plantar fascia, which is a fibrous band of tissue connecting your heel bone to the ball of your foot. It is a very important structure that helps to reinforce the arch of your foot and acts like a ‘bow string’ to stiffen your foot when you walk. Multiple tiny areas of damage occur over and over to the fascia, which heal with scar tissue, this scar tissue is stiffer (less flexible) than the normal tissue.