title: Systematic review: plantar fasciitis and prolonged weight bearing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plantar fasciitis (PF) is one of the most common causes of foot pain. Work can involve factors that may predispose to foot pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review the evidence of the association between weight bearing (walking or standing) and PF among workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature search of relevant indexing databases from inception to May 2012, grey literature, websites of relevant organizations and reference lists for all identified articles. Two reviewers independently selected studies for full review, assessed methodological quality and graded evidence. Findings were summarized qualitatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four studies were included; all were assessed as high or unclear risk of bias. Three studies were case-control studies; two used clinic populations and one used volunteers. The other study was cross-sectional involving the workforce of an assembly plant. A number of associations between PF and risk factors were identified including sex, obesity, foot biomechanics and job factors (e.g. job tenure). Two case-control studies and the cross-sectional study found an association with weight bearing, but the assessment of weight bearing varied (e.g. time on feet, time walking or standing). There was low-quality evidence to confirm a causal relationship (Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) * grade).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systematic review found low-quality evidence of an association between PF and weight-bearing tasks such as walking and standing on hard surfaces. The only occupations specifically identified as having higher risk were those associated with the engine assembly plant. Further research is required to fully determine the association between weight bearing and PF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine-Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1K4, Canada, eugene.waclawski@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Waclawski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine-Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1K4, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beach
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine-Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2S2, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yacyshyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dryden
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036981:Fasciitis, Plantar / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016474:Weight-Bearing
keywords: Occupational disease; musculoskeletal.; occupational epidemiology