Prevalence and risk factors of plantar fasciitis amongst the population of Al Jouf region: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of plantar fasciitis (PF) among the population of Al Jouf region in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design and used data from a sample of 665 people living in the Al Jouf region of Saudi Arabia. After guaranteeing their confidentiality, the participants answered a validated self-administered questionnaire. Results: The study primarily consisted of adults aged less than 40 years (63.3%, n=421), with a predominance of females (58.6%, n=390), majority of them were singles (50.4%, n=335), with university education (72.0%, n=479) and 42.3% (n=281) were employed. The study established 12% (n=80) prevalence rate of PF among the population of Al Jouf, Saudi Arabia. In terms of comorbidities, 9.3% (n=62) participants had obesity, while 8.3% (n=55) had diabetes, Further, tobacco use or diseases associated to tobacco use affected 3.3% (n=22). Conclusion: The study established 12% prevalence rate of PF among the population of Al Jouf region in Saudi Arabia. Comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular illnesses were risk factors for the development of PF. Plantar fasciitis was found to be more common in people who were 40–65 years old, obese, and employed in jobs that required 3–6 hours of standing or 3–12 hours of walking. Conversely, being a man was associated with a lower incidence of PF.