Have you ever felt a shooting pain in your heel when you take the first few steps in the morning or after resting? You are not alone, plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain, and it can make everyday movements feel like a challenge. The silver lining is that with the right habits, such as exercises and support, you can take back your life and continue to do more of what you love.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the irritation and micro-tearing of the plantar fascia, which is a thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot, that supports the arch. When the tissue becomes strained, microtears occur. These tiny tears can lead to heel pain, stiffness and difficulty walking or standing for long periods of time. It is often caused by increased activity, wearing unsupportive footwear and/or changes in biomechanics of the lower extremities. It can also be caused by things like weight gain, pregnancy and tight calf muscles. Adding a few simple exercises into your daily routine can help support and improve foot mobility and combat plantar fasciitis:
Calf Stretch
Tight calf muscles increases stress on the foot because the calf muscles join together to create the Achilles tendon, which attaches to and tugs on the heel bone. Stretching the calves can help to alleviate the tightness of the plantar fascia. Stand facing a wall, put one foot against the wall with toes on the wall and heel on the ground, step the other leg back into a lunge position and feel the stretch of the calf muscle. You could also, stand on a step with your heels off the step, dip the heels down to feel a deep stretch of the calf muscles – careful to hold on to the railing and not tip backwards! Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and repeat several times on each side.
Plantar Fascia Stretch
In a seated position cross your foot over your opposite knee and gently pull the toes back towards your shin. You can add in ankle rotations as well. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat several times on each side. You can also add in a massage of the foot muscles, as this will get blood flowing to the feet!
Towel Scrunches
In a seated position, place a towel or blanket on the floor just under your toes. Scrunch your toes, lifting the towel/blanket off the ground or dragging it towards you. This helps to strengthen the small muscles in the arch.
Rolling Massage
Using a frozen water bottle or massage ball, roll your arch over it several times with mild pressure. If you are using a frozen water bottle this can also help to alleviate mild swelling in the area.
Other everyday tips to help combat the dreaded plantar fasciitis are:
- Supportive Footwear: Shoes that have proper arch support and cushioning help to distribute pressure more evenly across the foot. Avoid worn-out or extremely flat shoes.
- Orthotics: Orthotics, especially custom ones are designed to help distribute the weight on the foot evenly, while also helping with poor biomechanics and alignment of the foot.
- Pace Your Activity: If you recently increased your activities, such as running or walking, try and scale back slightly and build up gradually. Your body will benefit from a steady progression rather than a sudden leap in activity.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Maintaining a healthy weight can help to reduce heel and arch pain. With extra weight comes extra stress on the feet, even a small reduction in weight can make a huge impact.
Foot pain does not have to define your day. By taking proactive steps and making manageable changes, will support your foot health and keep you moving in the right direction, so you can keep doing more of what you love. If you need some advice on how to reduce pain caused by plantar fasciitis speak to a BioPed clinician today. They can help guide you on your journey to feeling your best.
