Background: Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain in adults seen in primary care. Extended standing and running frequently cause strain on the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis outcome is generally good, about 80 percent of people having no symptoms subsequent to one year.
Aim of the study: To determine prevalence rate and risk factors of plantar fasciitis in primary health care settings.
Methods: a cross-sectional study, conducted on 270 patients with heel pain attending five primary health care centers that were selected randomly. An interview questionnaire was structured to recognize the socio-demographic data, medical history of heel pain and independent risk factors for plantar fasciitis. Diagnosis was based on history and clinical examination.
Results: The prevalence of plantar fasciitis among 270 patients was 57.8%.  88 (56.4 %) of them were males, 104 (66.7 %) were obese, 91 (58.3 %) were wearing inappropriate shoes and 140 (89.7 %) had sedentary lifestyle. Logistic regression showed that sedentary lifestyle is the most significant variable associated independently to plantar fasciitis (OR = 38.371; 95% CI: 5.411– 272.110 p 0.000)
Conclusions: Plantar fasciitis is very common in primary health care settings. Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, wearing inappropriate shoes, frequent running and long standing were shown to be risk factors.