What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that affects the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that runs along the arch of your foot. Due to the amount of stress that the foot endures on a daily basis, plantar fasciitis is a very common condition. Plantar fasciitis can affect people of all different ages and walks of life, however there are some people that are more susceptible than others. If you spend a lot of time on your feet at work, you are more likely to develop plantar fasciitis. Similarly, it is a condition that commonly affects runners and sportspeople. As anyone suffering from fasciitis can tell you, it is a condition that can cause extreme pain and discomfort

Stop the Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

 Be aware of your Arches

Arches that are not being supported properly are one of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis, but also one of the most easily remedied. If you don’t know what type of arch you have, visit https://www.shoeinsoles.co.uk/blog/flat-feet/know-your-arches.html

Support Your Arches

Now that you know what sort of arch you have, it’s important to give your arch the sup- port it needs! Both high and low arches can contribute to plantar fasciitis if left unremedied.   You may need to speak to a podiatrist to discuss your perfect arch support.

Cushion Your Feet

Whether you’re working a profession that keeps you on your feet all day, or you like to put your feet through the wringer with exercise, your feet could benefit from a little cushioning. Consider using a shock-absorbing insole to lessen the strain being placed on your soles!

Be Aware of Your Achilles

A tight Achilles tendon is another contributing factor to developing plantar fasciitis. If you have a history of trouble with your Achilles, it is recommended that you take precautions, for example using an ankle brace to support your Achilles tendon.

Lose Weight

As with most conditions affecting the feet, a huge contributing factor can be the amount that you weigh. The heavier you are, the more pressure is placed on the feet, and this can lead to a number of problems, including plantar fasciitis

Stretches to Help with Fasciitis

While exercise can damage the plantar fascia, stretching can help to loosen and relax your foot, helping to reduce pain. You don’t have to stretch your foot directly; there’s a number of stretches you can do to help your plantar fascia, including…

Calf Stretches

Stretch your calves in bed by sitting upright and then bending your toes as back close to yourself as possible. This helps to make your calf more flexible, which in turn prevents some of the tightness that can cause plantar fasciitis.

Big Toe Stretch

Sit crossed leg with the affected leg on top. Extend the leg and slowly pull your big toe towards you; hold this for 15 – 30 seconds or until it becomes uncomfortable.

Towel Stretch

This stretch is designed to target the arch of the foot directly to prevent pain. Fold a towel lengthwise, sit down on a chair and use the towel to lift your leg until it is horizontal. Hold for approximately 30 seconds and repeat 3 times for the best result.

Use a Resistance Band

Resistance bands are elasticated bands that are great for helping you stretch with great[1]er efficiency. If you’re not the most flexible person to start off with, a resistance band can make stretching much easier and more accessible.

Massage Your Foot

Through gently massaging the plantar fascia, you can encourage more blood to enter the tissue and this can aid with recovery and provide relief from discomfort. Get your blood pumping with these top tips…

 Tennis Ball Massages

Though it might not always be effective against chronic or acute pain, rolling a tennis ball beneath your foot can help lessen the symptoms of mild plantar fasciitis. Try this exercise first thing in the morning for maximum effect.

The Ice Bottle Trick

Place a plastic bottle filled with water in the freezer overnight. In the morning, you’ll find that you now have the perfect tool to massage your foot. The benefits of ice include numbing any pain and encouraging blood to flow to affected areas. Simply place the bottle beneath your foot and roll backwards and forwards.

Professional Massage

Alternatively, book an appointment with a professional massage therapist for a lower limb massage, who can focus on the plantar fascia area, should you want that extra pamper.

Avoid Plantar Fasciitis Pain in the Morning

People who suffer from plantar fasciitis often complain that the pain is more pronounced in the morning. Counteracting this morning discomfort is one of the most important things for providing a better quality of life.

Stretch Straight Out of Bed

As we’ve outlined above, there are a number of stretches that can help you to lessen the pain associated with plantar fasciitis. Instead of waiting until you’ve been on your feet all day, why not stretch first thing in the morning to avoid pain when taking your first steps of the day?

Avoid Exercising in the Morning

Although the pain of plantar fasciitis is usually reduced by a period of exercise, you are better off not exercising first thing in the morning. Running with pain can force you to place excess pressure on your “good leg”, often leading to problems down the line.

Take a Walk

Though spare time in the morning may be a luxury for most people juggling the bustle of work and children, a morning walk can help loosen your plantar fascia. Instead of going to the nearest bus stop, try the one 10 minutes away or park your car a short distance from your house – you might grumble, but your feet will thank you.

Wear Slippers

If you’ve got plantar fasciitis, it is a good idea to ensure you’ve got proper cushioning and support at all times. As soon as you wake up, slip on your favourite pair of slippers and you’ll notice the positive effect it has on your feet in the morning.

Use a Night Splint

A night splint holds your foot in a pointed toe position all night. This helps to relieve the plantar pain that affects you in the morning, allowing you to leap out of bed each day without fear

The R.I.C.E. System

 R.I.C.E is a common technique for recovery from injuries and stands for:

• Rest

• Ice

• Compression

• Elevation

Find out how this can help you beat your plantar fasciitis:

Rest

While it’s always tempting to soldier on through your injury, the best thing that you can do for your plantar fasciitis is rest. Exercising with fasciitis can exacerbate the problem and prevent healing.

Ice

By placing ice on damaged, sore and swollen areas, you will notice an almost instant improvement. Specific ice packs such as the Dura-Soft Foot and Ankle Ice Pack Wrap (cheaper alternatives are available) allow you to surround your foot in ice, giving better relief than a bag of frozen peas.

Compression

While it may seem counterintuitive, compressing an area improves the blood flow and encourages quicker healing. Using compressions sleeves specifically designed for fasciitis is one of the best things that you can do to aid recovery.

Elevation

Keeping your foot kept upright, especially during the night, can help massively to pre[1]vent the morning pain associated with plantar fasciitis. Night splints can help to ensure that your foot is held in an elevated position during the night.

Repeat!

Unfortunately, plantar fasciitis can be a resilient condition that lasts for years without improvement. Although the R.I.C.E. system should work to lessen your pain and aid recovery, it is not written in stone. Even if you are not noticing an improvement in your condition, sticking at it can work wonders

Running with Plantar Fasciitis

Although they know that it’s not doing their feet any favours, many runners just can’t quit.

Find out how to avoid suffering from plantar fasciitis (or how to deal with it once you’ve developed it) if you’re a runner.

Use the Right Shoes

No matter how much you may love your old pair of beat-up running shoes, they’re probably not providing you with the support you need. Try to replace your running shoes approximately every 500 miles (800 kilometres). Making sure that your shoes fit properly is also of the utmost importance.

Avoid Uneven Surfaces

As much as you might like to run on trails around the Pennines, uneven ground and surfaces that are on a camber should be avoided. The effect of these surfaces on your feet is that they are forced to take more pressure and stress in sensitive areas. This also links to…

Avoid Running Up That Hill

Running up and down hills has much the same effect on your feet as uneven surfaces – it causes more stress in vulnerable areas. The extra pressure on your metatarsals/heels (going up and down hill, respectively) wreaks havoc with your plantar fascia. Choose Softer Surfaces For most people that live in a city, running on roads and paths is the easiest way to go for a jog, but they are also hard surfaces that can aggravate your feet. For a more fascia-friendly run, try grass or a shock-absorbent running track.

Add a Pair of Insoles to Your Running Shoes

While insoles aren’t the solution to every runner’s problem, a good pair of running insoles can absorb shock and provide support to your feet