Statement of Principles concerning plantar fasciitis No. 4 of 2000

Statement of Principles

concerning

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Instrument No. 4 of 2000 as amended

made under section 196B(3) of the

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

This compilation was prepared on 7 July 2006
taking into account Amendment of Statement of Principles concerning PLANTAR FASCIITIS (Instrument No. 48 of 2003)

Prepared by the Repatriation Medical Authority Secretariat, Brisbane

Revocation and Determination

of

Statement of Principles

concerning

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

ICD-10-AM code: M72.2

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

1. The Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act):

(a) revokes Instrument No.38 of 1996; and

(b) determines in its place the following Statement of Principles.

Kind of injury, disease or death

2. (a) This Statement of Principles is about plantar fasciitis and death from plantar fasciitis.

(b) For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, “plantar fasciitis” means a painful condition of the subcalcaneal aspect of the foot resulting from inflammation or contracture of the deep fascia of the sole (plantar fascia), attracting ICD-10-AM code M72.2.

Basis for determining the factors

3. On the sound medical-scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that plantar fasciitis and death from plantar fasciitis can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces.

Factors that must be related to service

4. Subject to clause 6, at least one of the factors set out in clause 5 must be related to any relevant service rendered by the person.

Factors

5. The factors that must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, plantar fasciitis or death from plantar fasciitis is connected with the circumstances of a person’s relevant service are:

(a) suffering a fracture of the calcaneus of the affected foot within the year immediately before the clinical onset of plantar fasciitis; or

(b) suffering trauma to the plantar aspect of the affected foot within the year immediately before the clinical onset of plantar fasciitis; or

(c) running on average at least 20 km/week in the six months immediately before the clinical onset of plantar fasciitis; or

(d) being obese at the time of the clinical onset of plantar fasciitis; or

(e) suffering from one of the arthritic conditions in the specified list at the time of the clinical onset of plantar fasciitis; or

(f) suffering a fracture of the calcaneus of the affected foot within the year immediately before the clinical worsening of plantar fasciitis; or

(g) suffering trauma to the plantar aspect of the affected foot within the year immediately before the clinical worsening of plantar fasciitis; or

(h) running on average at least 20 km/week in the six months immediately before the clinical worsening of plantar fasciitis; or

(j) being obese at the time of the clinical worsening of plantar fasciitis; or

(k) suffering from one of the arthritic conditions in the specified list at the time of the clinical worsening of plantar fasciitis; or

(m) inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for plantar fasciitis.

Factors that apply only to material contribution or aggravation

6. Paragraphs 5(f) to 5(m) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, plantar fasciitis where the person’s plantar fasciitis was suffered or contracted before or during (but not arising out of) the person’s relevant service; paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e) or 70(5)(d) of the Act refers.

Inclusion of Statements of Principles

7. In this Statement of Principles if a relevant factor applies and that factor includes an injury or disease in respect of which there is a Statement of Principles then the factors in that last mentioned Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles.

Other definitions

8.                  For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“arthritic conditions in the specified list” means

(i)                Reiter’s syndrome; or

(ii)              ankylosing spondylitis; or

(iii)           psoriatic arthropathy; or

(iv)            other seronegative spondarthritis; or

(v)              gouty arthritis;

“being obese” means having an increase in body weight by way of fat accumulation which results in a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.

The BMI = W/H2 and where:

W is the person’s weight in kilograms and

H is the person’s height in metres;

“death from plantar fasciitis” in relation to a person includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s plantar fasciitis;

“ICD-10-AM code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), effective date of 1 July 1998, copyrighted by the National Centre for Classification in Health, Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 1 86451 340 3;

“relevant service” means:

(a) eligible war service (other than operational service); or

(b)              defence service (other than hazardous service);

“terminal event” means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes:

a) pneumonia;

b) respiratory failure;

c) cardiac arrest;

d) circulatory failure; or

e) cessation of brain function.

Application

9. This Instrument applies to all matters to which section 120B of the Act applies.

Notes to Statement of Principles concerning plantar fasciitis (Instrument No. 4 of 2000)

The Statement of Principles concerning plantar fasciitis (Instrument No. 4 of 2000) in force under section 196B(3) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Table of Amendments