Prevalence of Plantar Fasciitis among Culinary Professionals and its Relation with Occupational Standing Time – A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a musculoskeletal disorder characterized by heel pain, commonly associated with prolonged occupational standing. Culinary professionals typically work in environments that require long periods of standing, yet this population has not been specifically examined in existing research.To determine the prevalence of plantar fasciitis among culinary professionals and its relation with occupational standing time.This cross-sectional analytical study assessed the prevalence of plantar fasciitis among 179 culinary professionals aged 20–60 years working in restaurants, bakeries, and catering services. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to include both males and females in study, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire along with the Windlass test to assess plantar fasciitis. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 with descriptive and inferential statistics following ethical approval and informed consentAmong 179 participants, 26.8% were diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Executive chefs (37.4%) and station cooks (22.9%) formed the largest occupational groups. Most participants reported high occupational workload, with 55.9% working 7 days per week, 73.2% standing for 6–10 hours daily, and 24.6% standing for more than 10 hours, while 88.3% reported rest periods of up to 2 hours during work. Tile flooring was the most common workplace surface (48.0%), followed by concrete (28.5%) and marble (21.8%). A statistically significant association was found between plantar fasciitis and occupational standing time (p = 0.03), with a higher prevalence observed among individuals standing for more than 10 hours per day. Plantar fasciitis is common among culinary professionals and is considered to be mainly related to standing, long working hours, and hard flooring surfaces. Preventive strategies in the workplace and modifications of the working load might decrease the occupational risk factor.