Prevalence Of Planter Fasciitis Among School Teachers In Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders of the foot and a leading cause of heel pain, particularly among individuals exposed to prolonged weight-bearing activities. School teachers are considered a high-risk occupational group due to extended standing hours and repetitive mechanical stress on the plantar fascia. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of plantar fasciitis among school teachers in Lahore and to identify its associated demographic, clinical, and occupational factors. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 574 school teachers from various government and private schools in Lahore, Pakistan, using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Participants aged 25–60 years were included, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Plantar Fasciitis Pain/Disability Scale (PFPS), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), while the Windlass test was used as a clinical assessment tool. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20, employing descriptive statistics and inferential tests including chi-square test, independent t-test, correlation analysis, and binary logistic regression.

The results showed that the prevalence of plantar fasciitis was 41.3% (n = 238). Among participants, 376 (65.5%) were aged 25–40 years and 198 (34.5%) were aged 41–60 years. Females were slightly more represented (52.3%) than males (47.7%). Plantar fasciitis was significantly more common in females (50.6%) compared to males (31.7%), and in the older age group (41–60 years: 68.1%) compared to younger participants (27.3%) (p < 0.001). The most affected individuals reported deep heel pain (69.7%), mainly at the bottom of the heel (61.3%), with pain occurring many times daily (61.8%) and most severe during first morning steps (56.3%). Mean VAS scores were significantly higher in affected participants (7.8 ± 2.1) compared to non-affected participants (4.9 ± 2.3), while PFPS scores were also higher in the plantar fasciitis group (48.6 ± 8.5 vs 36.2 ± 7.9) (p < 0.001). Significant positive correlations were found between VAS, PFPS, and functional limitation scores (r = 0.69–0.81, p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.42–3.05), age above 40 years (OR = 3.31, 95% CI: 2.15–5.09), higher VAS scores (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.37–2.40), and higher PFPS scores (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05–1.17) were significant predictors of plantar fasciitis.

In conclusion, plantar fasciitis was found to be highly prevalent among school teachers in Lahore, affecting 41.3% of participants, with significantly higher occurrence in females and older age groups. The condition was strongly associated with increased pain severity, functional disability, and occupational strain. These findings highlight the need for ergonomic interventions, early screening, and physiotherapy-based preventive strategies in school settings to reduce the burden of plantar fasciitis