How to Relieve Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis, characterized by sharp heel pain, especially upon waking, is a debilitating condition. It's caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, the tissue connecting the heel to the toes. Common causes include inadequate shoe support, tight Achilles tendons, flat feet or high arches, improper gait, and overuse injuries from high-impact activities. Fortunately, plantar fasciitis is treatable.
If you do any regular exercise that involves explosive plyometrics or any repetitive motion (like running), you will most likely need to stop the activity for a couple weeks to allow the inflammation to subside.
The tell-tale sign you have plantar fasciitis is if you’re experiencing a sharp stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot, usually on or around the heel. The pain is worse with first steps in the morning.
So you have this annoying injury and can’t exercise- I know, it sucks. But if you make the necessary adjustments and give your body time to heal, the inflammation should subside.
From my own experience with the injury as well as working with clients who also suffered from it, I’ve found these five tips to be very helpful in the healing process.
1. Stretch the arch of the foot by putting it into Dorsi flexion
One of my favorite tools to use is this sleep sock you can get on amazon which forces you to stay in this ideal position the entire night.
2. ICE the bottom of the foot and avoid any exercise that might have caused the inflammation
This is not to say you need to stop doing it forever but for right now, stop.
3. Stretch and roll the calf everyday!
4. Roll the bottom of the foot with a ball
5. Get rid of any shoes with no support
If none of these things help the pain or improve the condition in two weeks, consider making an appointment to see a physical therapist.
You may also have to buy insoles for your shoes but see your doctor first before spending the money. They may have some valuable insight on your particular case!!
If you are someone who is suffering from this injury or any other injury understand that you don’t need to suffer alone. There’s an awesome new app called “Ouchie” which acts as a mobile companion for its users to help manage pain. Ouchie offers its users a community of people suffering from the same injury as you as well as doctors, physical therapists and trainers like me!
Check out the Ouchie App let me know how you relieve plantar fasciitis pain in the comments below!
